Hong Kong’s leader has defended the swift enactment of subsidiary legislation to the city’s domestic national security law, calling it “imperative” as he likened security threats to a “virus” which could harm the city amid geopolitical tensions.
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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday offered his first remarks on the subsidiary legislation, a week after it was introduced while he was leading a government and business delegation to the Middle East.
“I have said many times that national security risks are like viruses. The risk always exists around us, poised to cause harm. The world is currently undergoing unprecedented changes at an accelerating pace. Geopolitics is complex and global instability is growing,” he said.
“It is imperative to complete the scrutiny of the subsidiary legislation as early as possible to ensure legal certainty.”
The bill was signed by Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki last week as Lee was in Kuwait for a business trip.
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The subsidiary legislation of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance was enacted last Tuesday, just one day after the government unveiled its proposal.