Loyalist Defends Beijing's Demand For HKNP Report

A leading Beijing adviser has dismissed claims by pan-democratic lawmakers that Beijing's move to demand a report into the banning of the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party is an "unprecedented interference" in Hong Kong's domestic affairs.

The vice-president of Beijing's top think tank on Hong Kong matters, Lau Siu-kai, said on Wednesday that since talk of Hong Kong independence is seen as a threat to national security, the central government has “the right and the obligation” to step in to make sure the SAR government is capable of dealing with the issue.

“As far as I’m concerned, national security falls into the responsibility of the central people’s government, because at the end of the day, Beijing has to bear ultimate responsibility for protecting national security,” Lau told RTHK’s Janice Wong.

But the convenor of the pro-democracy Progressive Lawyers Group, Jason Ng, expressed concern about Beijing's intervention, saying it may undermine freedom of expression in Hong Kong.

“This time it’s the National Party, next time it could be some other parties that the government is interested in cracking down on,” said Ng.

“And that could be parties which advocate self-determination. It doesn’t have to be as extreme as a pro-independence party,” he said.