'Beijing Had Every Right To Introduce Security Law'

Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng has hit out at "baseless challenges" against Beijing's introduction of the national security law in Hong Kong, saying the central government has always had the power and duty to enact laws on national security matters.

She said it is completely misconceived to say that the principle of One Country, Two Systems has been undermined by Beijing's move to introduce the national security law, especially when the SAR had been unable to fulfil such responsibilities.

"National security is within the purview of the central authorities. The National People's Congress is the highest organ of state power in the People's Republic of China and its Standing Committee was entrusted to formulate the national security law," Cheng said in her speech marking the opening of the legal year on Monday.

The secretary for justice also rejected "unfair and ill-informed criticisms" that the chief executive's power to designate judges to hear national security cases undermines the SAR's judicial system.

"It should be reiterated that the chief executive only designates a list of judges in different levels of courts to hear cases involving issues of national security, rather than assigning which judge to preside over a specific case," Cheng said.

She added that it's fine for people to make comments and discuss court decisions as long as they do so rationally and objectively and within the boundary of the law.

But she acknowledged that some of the remarks made recently were "nothing like that", adding that “any unfair or unfounded remarks with the ulterior motive of exerting pressure or undue influence on our judges in dispensing justice will be to no avail”.

Cheng added that doxxing against judges must be curtailed, saying “as the guardian of public interest”, she obtained an injunction order a couple of months ago to stop such activities.