Some Explanations of the Draft Decision on Hong Kong National Security Legislation
就涉香港国家安全立法的几点说明
Ambassador Cong Peiwu to Canada
驻加拿大大使丛培武
May 28, 2020
2020年5月28日
When I was posted in the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa for the first time about 20 years ago, I learned how close the Canadians hold Hong Kong to their hearts. Nowadays, there are 300,000 Canadian citizens living in Hong Kong and many Canadian companies investing there. It is natural that Canadians are following the situation in Hong Kong very closely.
20年前，我第一次在中国驻加使馆工作时就了解到，加拿大与香港关系密切。当前，加不仅在港有大量投资，还有约30万侨民在港居住生活。很自然地，加民众非常关注香港局势。
On May 28, the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) ,the country’s top legislature, approved the Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Safeguard National Security, which has attained a lot of attention in Canada. I want to make a few explanations of the Decision.
5月28日，十三届全国人大三次会议表决通过了《全国人民代表大会关于建立健全香港特别行政区维护国家安全的法律制度和执行机制的决定》，引起加各界普遍关注。在此，我愿说明以下几点。
First, the Decision has a sufficient legal basis. The legislation of national security is the embodiment of a country’s exercise and maintenance of sovereignty. In all countries, only the State legislature has the legislative power on issues concerning national security. Article 31 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China stipulates that “The state may establish special administrative regions when necessary. The systems to be instituted in special administrative regions shall be prescribed by law enacted by the National People’s Congress in the light of specific conditions.” The legal documents made by the NPC in accordance with its constitutional duties and procedures have constitutional status and the supreme authority.
第一，《决定》有着充分的法律依据。国家安全立法是一国行使和维护主权的体现。在世界任何国家，国家安全立法都属于国家立法权力。中华人民共和国宪法第31条规定，“国家在必要时得设立特别行政区。在特别行政区内实行的制度按照具体情况由全国人民代表大会以法律规定。”全国人大依据宪法赋予的职责，依照程序作出的具有法律约束力的法律性文件，具有宪制性地位和最高法律效力。
The Decision aims at improving the systems and mechanisms in HKSAR related to the Constitution’s implementation and the Basic Law at the national level. Article 23 of the Basic Law gives the HKSAR authority to enact laws on its own to prohibit seven kinds of acts undermining national security. The Decision authorizes the Standing Committee of NPC to enact laws that partially intersect with, but do not entirely overlap with, Article 23 of the Basic Law. It’s targeted at a narrow category of acts that seriously jeopardize national security. The Decision does not amend the Basic Law, does not repeal the provisions of Article 23 of the Basic Law, and does not replace or exclude the Basic Law.
《决定》是为从国家层面完善香港同宪法和基本法实施相关的制度和机制。基本法第23条规定香港自行立法禁止7类危害国家安全的行为，《决定》授权全国人大常委会立法的内容与基本法第23条有部分交叉，但不完全重叠，主要针对在香港严重影响国家安全的行为。《决定》没有修改基本法，也没有废除基本法第23条规定，更不取代、排斥基本法。
Secondly, it is necessary and urgent to review the Decision now. Since the turbulence over the amendment bill in Hong Kong last June, the “Hong Kong Independence” and local radical separatist forces have become increasingly rampant with escalating violent terrorist activities. Foreign interfering forces have blatantly ramped up intervention in Hong Kong affairs. Even during the third session of the 13th NPC in the past week, the radical protesters carried out a lot of violent activities in Hong Kong. The aforementioned activities have seriously challenged the bottom line of the “one country, two systems” principle and poses a real threat to sovereignty and national security. This has threatened people’s safety and property, disrupted rule of law and social order, undermined prosperity and stability in Hong Kong. The resulting economic losses have amounted to tens of billions of US dollars.
第二，当前审议《决定》具有必要性和紧迫性。自去年6月香港“修例风波”以来，“港独”和本土激进分离势力活动日益猖獗，暴力恐怖活动不断升级，外部势力深度干预香港事务。就在举行第十三届全国人大三次会议期间，一些暴徒仍在香港猖獗地进行暴力活动。上述行动严重触碰“一国两制”原则底线，切实危害国家主权安全，挑战香港法治和社会秩序，威胁香港市民生命财产安全，破坏香港繁荣稳定。这些行动并直接导致香港经济损失数百亿美元。
Meanwhile, since Hong Kong return to China in 1997, the legislative process of Article 23 is yet to materialize. Hong Kong’s current laws related to national security crimes are also in a “dormant” state on the whole. They cannot effectively combat terrorist activities and other activities that seriously endanger national security. They cannot meet Hong Kong’s real and urgent need to safeguard national security. There are also obvious shortcomings in the institutional setup, strength allocation, and law enforcement power allocation for safeguarding national security.
同时，自1997年香港回归祖国后，基本法第23条立法迟迟没有完成。香港现行法律中惩治危害国家安全犯罪的规定，总体上也处于“休眠”状态，不能有效打击恐怖主义活动等严重危害国家安全活动，无法满足香港维护国家安全的现实迫切需要，维护国家安全的机构设置、力量配备、执法权力配置等也存在明显“短板”。
Thirdly, the Decision does not violate the “one country, two systems” principle, and will not erode HKSAR’s high degree of autonomy. The Decision entrusts the NPC Standing Committee to formulate relevant laws on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security. The NPC Standing Committee will exercise its functions and powers of legislation under authorization. And it is compatible with the existing legal system and judicial system of Hong Kong and will not affect the independent judicial power and final adjudication power of the HKSAR. The relevant legislation targets a very small number of people suspected of endangering national security crimes. The freedom of speech, press, publication, and assembly enjoyed by the general public of Hong Kong is not subject to interference, daily life will not be affected, and the safety of the property will continue to be effectively guaranteed. At the same time, the legislation on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR is purely a matter of China’s internal affairs, something that no foreign country has the right to interfere.
第三，《决定》没有违反“一国两制”方针，不会影响特区高度自治权。《决定》授权全国人大常委会就建立健全香港特别行政区维护国家安全的法律制度和执行机制制定相关法律。全国人大常委会将据此行使授权立法职权。这同香港现行的法律制度和司法体系是兼容的，不会影响香港特别行政区依法享有独立的司法权和终审权。有关立法针对的是极少数涉嫌危害国家安全犯罪的人，广大市民依法享有的言论、新闻、出版、集会等自由不受干预，日常生活不会受到影响，财产安全继续得到切实保障。同时，涉香港国家安全立法纯属中国内政，任何国家无权干涉。
Fourth, the Decision is conducive to maintaining Hong Kong’s social stability and protecting its security. Since last year, the activities of the “Hong Kong Independence” elements, radical separatists, and the opposition have severely trampled on the rule of law in Hong Kong, undermined social stability, and severely hit the economy and people’s livelihood. Hong Kong’s business environment and international image have negatively affected the confidence of foreign investors. International rating agencies have consecutively downgraded Hong Kong’s credit rating, causing Hong Kong to lose its status as the freest economy in the world for 25 consecutive years, and Hong Kong drops to sixth in new global financial centre rankings. Only by safeguarding national security and consolidating the foundation of “one country, two systems”, can the fundamental interests and the well-being of the general public in Hong Kong be guaranteed, and the HKSAR can enjoy long-term peace, stability and harmony. This also conforms to the interests of relevant parties, including Canada. The Decision has been hailed by the HKSAR government and the overwhelming majority of the Chinese public.
第四，《决定》有助于维护香港社会稳定和保护香港安全环境。去年以来，“港独”分子、激进分离势力和反对派的活动严重践踏香港法治，破坏社会稳定，重创经济民生、香港的营商环境和国际形象，影响了外来投资者对香港的信心。国际权威机构连番下调香港的信贷评级，香港痛失连续25年的全球最自由经济体地位，全球金融中心排名也跌至第6位。维护国家安全，巩固“一国两制”的根基，香港广大市民的根本利益和民生福祉才有保障，香港特别行政区才能长治久安，社会才能安定和谐。《决定》受到了香港特区政府和中国人民的坚定支持，这也符合包括加方在内的相关各方的利益。