On the 25th May, the Hong Kong Bar association released a statement saying that Beijing and the National People’s Congress do not have the legal power to enact new national security laws which are currently being drafted. The Bar Association have pointed out that Article 22 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong, makes it clear that the matters covered by the national security law are solely within Hong Kong’s jurisdiction, meaning that under the principle of ‘one country two systems’, Beijing is not able to legislate on the issues.
The National People’s Congress last week unveiled a resolution to “prevent, frustrate and punish” threats to national security by outlawing acts of secession, subversion, foreign interference and terrorism, completely circumnavigating any Hong Kong legislative bodies, which many critics have suggested is simply an effort by Beijing to curtail rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.
See the full statement by the Bar Association.