members of the Chinese legislature the
National People's Congress have
overwhelmingly endorsed sweeping and
controversial new security laws for Hong
Kong the bill which now passes to
China's senior leadership has caused
deep concern among those who say it
could end Hong Kong's unique status
here's a look at what the law will do
firstly it will criminalize conduct in
Hong Kong that harms national security a
measure pro-democracy campaigners fear
could be used to target them it permits
China's national intelligence agencies
to set up offices in Hong Kong to
oversee its enforcement Beijing will
also be able to place the measure into
the basic law that's the mini
Constitution on how Hong Kong is run
effectively bypassing the territory's
own lawmakers li jiang xiu a member of
the Chinese Communist Party's Standing
Committee welcomed the law at the
closing ceremony of the National
People's Congress this meeting
deliberates and approves a draft
decision of the National People's
Congress for establishing a legal system
and enforcement mechanisms for Hong Kong
to safeguard national security this is a
major move to practice one country two
systems and is also in line with China's
Constitution and the basic law of Hong
Kong it also aligns with the fundamental
interests of people in mainland China as
well as Hong Kong residents well our
correspondent Steve McDonald's said it
was no surprise the National People's
Congress overwhelmingly approved the
legislation look it's a rubber stamp
session there was never gonna be any
resisting this at the National People's
Congress but even so 2787
in favor and only one against with six
abstentions is quite something however
what it means though is that this bill
now goes to the next stage which is that
the Standing Committee of the National
People's Congress works out the details
of the law and writes it up and it could
actually well come into effect for the
end of the year
now what's not clear is exactly what
types of speech or exactly what actions
might constitute treason under this new
law there are some concerns that even
calling for Hong Kong independence could
be seen as secession so these crimes
like treason or secession they are
serious and at the moment people are
being charged activists with rioting and
assembly
you know charges and to tell the truth
not that many people have actually been
punished under that process although
7,000 more than 7,000 have been charged
over the last year under this new law
well these crimes like trees and that
can mean decades in prison and so this
is why there's been a lot of concern in
Hong Kong amongst the pro-democracy camp
that it could be eroding the city's
freedoms now of course those who defend
the bill though would say that the
protests have gone too far the venture
destructive and something had to be done
to try and rein in this movement
Stephen McDonald let's cross live now to
Hong Kong and speak to our correspondent
Martin yep Martin tell us more about the
reaction of those pro-democracy
protesters to what's been happening at
the National People's Congress do they
feel now that their efforts over the
last year or so have been in vain to
some extent do they feel that Hong Kong
status is changing permanently well the
answer to this question would actually
be something that we still have to wait
to see the reason I'm saying so is that
we seem rather valence crashes in the
past couple of days and over the past
weekend literally after this deal in
Beijing was announced in the previous
weekend but then taping is sort of
planting their anger already they've
been talking about this what you just
mentioned that the demise of of
authority in Hong Kong as well as a one
country to system but the cheat the game
chain
probably would be developments in the
United States well you have the
Secretary of State Pompeyo reporting to
the Congress that they are not seeing
Hong Kong as having autonomy anymore and
that might trigger some sorts of
response at least from Washington DC and
that would be more diplomatic
conversation between Beijing and
Washington which and there was some
people in some sort of speculation at
this stage but that doesn't mean they
are not angry at all and that's why we
saw what we saw yesterday the clashes in
the street between the protesters and
the riot police while also at the same
time we have other groups voicing
concern just after this law has been
passed like a water well I'm just
reading this report from what the local
broadcaster RTHK is the people from the
arts industry voicing concern on this
thread keys of law to be imposed by
Beijing they are raising scenarios like
if somebody goes to a concert and
somebody sang a song that best lyrics
that are seen as subversive with those
audience members of audience being and
the Dutch being charged with the same
charge so there's so many questions to
be answered from Beijing from the Hong
Kong government to satisfy people's
worries okay Martin thank you very much
Martin yep in Hong Kong