HK delegate to Beijing defends security legislation

A Hong Kong delegate to China's National People's Congress has defended moves to enact national security legislation in the city, a move that could limit opposition activity and signals the central government's determination to take greater control after months of pro-democracy protests last year.

The law would prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition or subversion against China.

In an interview with the Associated Press on the sidelines of the political meet, Bernard Chan said that Chinese authorities thought the law necessary in face of last year's mass protests.

"This basically, to them, is you don't cross that four specific line? Go ahead, you can still do whatever you want," Chan said. "But they feel that now it comes to a point that they may need to put a stop to it, to ensure that these four red lines cannot be crossed."

Moves to enact such legislation has long been under consideration and was hastened by the months of anti-government protests last year in the former British colony that was returned to China rule in 1997.

Hong Kong's government is bound by Article 23 of the Basic Law, its constitution, to enact laws to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition or subversion against China.

It proposed legislation to do so in 2003, but withdrew it after hundreds of thousands of people came out to protest.

Chan acknowledged that there would be "some short-term disturbance," saying it would provoke fear and uncertainty in the territory. But he pointed to the smooth handover of Hong Kong sovereignty from Britain to China as proof that in the long run, life would continue as normal in the city.

"This bill, or this law, will not affect the great majority of Hong Kong," Chan said. "I don't think the great majority of Hong Kong people have any interest whatsoever in subverting state power or the central government."

Chan said he is waiting to see the specifics of the legislation, details of which have yet to be released.

(Representative Image)