Hong Kong Security Law Safeguards Rights and Freedoms
香港国安法保障人民权利和自由
Consul General Tang Zhongdong Published a Signed Article in Business Day
驻约翰内斯堡总领事唐中东在南非《商业日报》发表署名文章
22 August 2020
2020年8月22日
On June 30, one day before the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China, the standing committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) adopted the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (KHSAR). This law is now added to the list of laws in annex III of the basic law. It will be applied by promulgation in HKSAR.
6月30日，在香港回归23周年之际，中国全国人大常委会通过《中华人民共和国香港特别行政区维护国家安全法》，并将该法列入香港基本法附件三，由香港特别行政区在当地公布实施。香港国安法为稳定和持续实施“一国两制”、维护香港居民权利和自由的提供了坚实保障，堪称“一国两制”实践进程中的重要里程碑。
This law is an important milestone and a powerful support for the steady and sustained implementation of “one country, two systems”, which safeguards the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents. After the law was adopted, Western media carried numerous reports and comments full of misinterpretation, misunderstanding and even distortion. Even a small discrepancy will lead to a great error. Malicious lies will, still worse, result in huge misconception and misunderstanding. Below are the four things you need to know about the HKSAR:
法律通过后，西方媒体进行了大量报道和评论，充斥着误读、误解甚至歪曲。失之毫厘，谬以千里。更为严重的是，恶意的谎言将导致巨大的误解和误解。以下是有关香港特别行政区《保障国家安全法》你需要了解的四件事：
1. Will the legislation undermine the human rights and basic freedoms of Hong Kong residents, and does it violate the [UN] International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights?
1、涉港国安立法将破坏香港居民人权和基本自由，违反《公民权利和政治权利国际公约》吗？
The HKSAR clearly stipulates that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security. Rights and freedoms, including freedoms of speech, of the press, of publication, of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration, which the residents of the region enjoy under the basic law of the HKSAR, and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the [UN] International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to Hong Kong, shall be protected in accordance with the law.
《中华人民共和国香港特别行政区维护国家安全法》明确规定，香港特别行政区维护国家安全应当尊重和保障人权，依法保护香港特别行政区居民根据香港特别行政区基本法、《公民权利和政治权利国际公约》和《经济、社会与文化权利的国际公约》适用于香港的有关规定享有的，包括言论、新闻、出版的自由，结社、集会、游行、示威的自由在内的权利和自由。
The legislation only targets four types of offences, namely secession, subversion, terrorist activities and collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. It is designed to deter and sanction a small minority in Hong Kong that are involved in offences seriously jeopardising national security. It aims to protect the great majority of law-abiding Hong Kong residents, and safeguard their safety and lawful rights and freedoms.
涉港国安立法仅针对分裂国家罪、颠覆国家政权罪、恐怖活动罪、勾结外国或者境外势力危害国家安全罪四类犯罪行为，惩治的是极少数涉嫌严重危害国家安全的犯罪分子，保护的是遵纪守法的绝大多数香港市民，保障的是绝大多数香港居民的安全和依法享有的各种权利和自由。
It is spelled out in the constitutions of more than 100 countries that the exercise of basic rights and freedoms shall not endanger national security. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights makes it clear that freedoms of religious belief, expression and peaceful assembly, the right to public trial and other rights may be subject to restrictions that are necessary to protect national security, public order, and so on. There are similar provisions in the European Convention on Human Rights.
世界上100多个国家的宪法都规定，行使基本权利和自由不得危害国家安全。《公民权利和政治权利国际公约》规定，信仰自由、言论自由、和平集会自由、接受公开审判等项权利都可基于国家安全、公共秩序等原因受到必要限制。《欧洲人权公约》也有类似规定。
2. Will the legislation include vaguely defined offences, and be abused by China’s national security authorities to oppress people?
2、涉港国安立法可能列入定义模糊的罪行，并被中国国家安全机关滥用以压制民众吗？
The legislation only targets four types of offences that seriously jeopardise national security, far fewer than the dozens of crimes involving national security listed in countries such as the US and the UK. The legislation sets clear limits on related law enforcement activities. It requires that all law enforcement efforts be conducted in strict accordance with legal provisions and statutory mandates and procedures, without prejudice to the lawful rights and interests of any individual or organisation. It also provides that the office for safeguarding national security of the central people’s government in the HKSAR shall perform its mandate in strict compliance with the law and be subject to supervision in accordance with the law. The staff of the office shall abide by the laws of the HKSAR as well as national laws.
涉港国安立法仅针对四类严重危害国家安全的犯罪行为，远少于美英等国动辄几十项的国安罪名。有关法律明确约束国安执法，要求所有执法行为都必须严格依照法律规定、符合法定职责、遵循法定程序，不得侵害任何个人和组织的合法权益。有关法律还规定，驻港国安公署应当严格依法履行职责，依法接受监督，其人员除须遵守全国性法律外，还应当遵守香港特别行政区法律。
Countries such as the US, the UK, Canada and Australia have all established rigorous legal frameworks for safeguarding national security, which show no mercy in combating offences endangering national security.
美国、英国、加拿大、澳大利亚等国均建立了维护国安的严密法律体系，在打击危害国家安全的犯罪行为方面毫不手软。
3. Will the legislation violate China’s commitments and obligations under the Sino-British Joint Declaration?
3、涉港国安立法会违反中方在《中英联合声明》中的承诺和义务吗？
The legal basis for the Chinese government to govern Hong Kong is the Chinese constitution and the basic law of the HKSAR. The Sino-British Joint Declaration is not relevant in this regard. As China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, all provisions concerning the UK under the joint declaration had been fulfilled. The UK has no sovereignty, jurisdiction or “right of supervision” over Hong Kong after its return.
中国政府治理香港的法律依据是中国宪法和香港基本法，与《中英联合声明》无关。随着1997年香港回归中国，《中英联合声明》中所规定的与英方有关的条款已全部履行完毕，英方对回归后的香港无主权、无治权、无监督权。
The basic policies regarding Hong Kong stated by China in the joint declaration are not commitments to the UK, but China’s declaration of its policies, which have since been fully embodied in the basic law enacted by the NPC. These policies have not changed; they will continue to be upheld by China.
《中英联合声明》关于对港的基本方针政策是中方的政策宣示，已充分体现在全国人大所制定的基本法中。中方有关政策宣示不是对英方的承诺，而且这些政策都没有改变，中方会继续坚持。
China has a right to enforce local initiatives relating to national security. It has continued to improve its legal system, institutions and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security. The UK applied the Treason Act to Hong Kong with specialised enforcement agencies during its colonial rule, but now it is making groundless accusations against the legislation on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong enacted by China’s central authorities. This is pure double standards.
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4. Does the legislation mark the end of one country, one systems and deprive Hong Kong of its high degree of autonomy?
4、涉港国安立法意味着“一国两制”终结，剥夺了香港高度自治权吗？
The NPC decision made it clear, from the very beginning, that the state resolutely, fully and faithfully implements the policy of one country, two systems under which Hong Kong people administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy. This commitment was reaffirmed in article 1 of the legislation on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong. The goal of this legislation is to close the critical loophole in national security in Hong Kong, cement the foundation of one country, and provide maximum safeguard for Hong Kong to harness the strengths of two systems on the basis of upholding one country.
全国人大有关决定开宗明义阐明国家坚定不移并全面准确贯彻“一国两制”、“港人治港”、高度自治的方针，法律第一条也再次阐明这一方针。涉港国安立法目的是堵上香港国家安全的致命漏洞，筑牢“一国”之基，最大限度确保香港在坚守“一国”之本的同时更好发挥“两制”之利。
The enacted legislation will not affect the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents under the law. It will not affect the HKSAR’s independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication. There will be no change to the policy of one country, two systems, the capitalist system, the high degree of autonomy, or the legal system of the HKSAR.
香港国安法实施后，香港居民依法享有的各项权利和自由不受影响，特区独立的司法权和终审权不受影响。“一国两制”方针不会变，香港特别行政区实行的资本主义制度不会变，高度自治不会变，法律制度不会变。