Bill > ACR15

Introduced Session

This resolution condemns "The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Jong Special Administrative Region" passed by the People's Republic of China on June 30, 2020. Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China have co-existed under a "one country, two systems" political framework since the People's Republic of China resumed sovereignty over the region from the United Kingdom in 1997. As part of but while still being independent of the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong has enjoyed a high degree of autonomy in all areas except foreign and defense affairs, and even has its own constitution, money, passport, immigration channel, and legal system. This political framework has preserved Hong Kong's distinctive status, freedoms, and laws. The people of Hong Kong have made global headlines for their pro-democracy protests, which were triggered by the introduction of an extradition bill introduced by the People's Republic of China in April 2019 and which are now focused on demanding amnesty for arrested protesters, an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality, and the implementation of complete universal suffrage. The Hong Kong protests have escalated over the past year, and the People's Republic of China has blamed their continued existence on the interference and backing of foreign countries, such as the United States, and views the Hong Kong protests as concerted efforts to sow chaos and topple the ruling Communist Party of the People's Republic of China. The People's Republic of China imposed a new national security law on June 30, 2020 on Hong Kong, entitled "The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Jong Special Administrative Region," with the goal of stamping out opposition to the ruling Communist Party. The expansive and draconian new law was passed swiftly and in secrecy, breaking with standard Chinese legal procedures when the public is able to view and comment on proposed legislation before its passage. As a result of this secrecy, Hong Kong officials had no opportunity to provide input on either the drafting or passage of the new law. The new law consists of 66 articles and lays out new crimes and punishments for vaguely defined acts of separatism, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign countries, with the maximum punishment for the most serious of offenses being life imprisonment. Agencies and offices, such as the Committee for Safeguarding National Security which is an arm of the Chinese national security apparatus, are also to be established in Hong Kong under the new law and will have the power to collect intelligence in Hong Kong in total secrecy and will be shielded from legal challenges. Finally, the new law allows the government of the People's Republic of China to target protestors, grants the People's Republic of China broad authority to intervene in Hong Kong's historically independent legal system, and targets certain institutions, such as schools, for tighter governmental control and oversight. Arrests and detainments for violations of the new law have already been made, including the July 1, 2020 arrest of a man after he unfurled a Hong Kong flag during demonstrations. Condemnation of such ambiguous and dangerous laws, which openly flout the democratic process and negatively affect public discourse and human rights, should come from every nation.

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Dawn Fantasia (R)*,  Michael Inganamort (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document