HK To Establish New Commission For National Security

Hong Kong is to establish a committee headed by the Chief Executive – and supervised by the central government – to safeguard national security and the new legislation for the SAR will also give the power of appointing judges on such cases to the CE, state media has reported.

Xinhua News Agency released the details of the controversial new law Beijing is planning to impose on the SAR after the National People's Congress Standing Committee wound up its meeting without the legislation being formally approved.

The report said in case of discrepancies between the security law and existing Hong Kong laws, provisions in the new legalisation shall be adopted. The power of interpreting this law is vested in the NPCSC, it added.

In a lengthy report, the news agency said under the new law, the Chief Executive shall appoint judges to handle national security court cases, from serving or former magistrates and judges from any court.

The report said a committee to safeguard national security will be supervised and will answer to the central government. It will be headed by the CE and include other top officials like the chief secretary and other key cabinet members and the police commissioner.

The head of a police unit to be set up to enforce the national security law also will be a member of the panel, along with the heads of the immigration and customs departments.

While police are to set up a special unit to enforce the relevant provisions, the Department of Justice will create a special prosecution unit for national security crimes.

State media say the draft also contains penalties for offences relating to separatism, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, but they did not give details.

The law will also stipulate that the SAR government should strengthen supervision and management of schools and other organisations on matters relating to national security.