Beijing [China], July 2 : Beijing has intensified its national security measures in Hong Kong, moving from the idea of "patriots administering" the region to demanding that business individuals be "patriotic," according to a report by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) cited by Taipei Times.
In its 2014 white paper on the "one country, two systems" framework after the 1997 handover, Beijing asserted that "Hong Kong people would govern Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy," the report mentioned, as quoted by the Taipei Times.
However, this has evolved into a governance model whereby both "Hong Kongers and the Chinese central government" have authority, with a thorough surveillance system being gradually established over the past 28 years, it indicated. Beijing has enforced the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" to restrict political participation from Hong Kongers, along with implementing patriotism education embedded with "Xi Jinping Thought," the report stated.
Last month, China's Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, together with the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force, carried out an unprecedented "joint investigation" into a national security matter, it noted.
This action has sparked concerns about the potential for Hong Kongers accused of "endangering national security" to be extradited to China, as political dissent continues to be stifled, as shown by the dissolution of Hong Kong's Democratic Party this year, more than thirty years after its establishment, it added.
Senior officials in Beijing have also called on Hong Kongers to participate in "united front" activities, extending national security mandates to areas typically unrelated to security, such as trade barriers, financial vulnerabilities, and international interests, the report indicated, according to Taipei Times.
National security language has become increasingly widespread, encompassing a broad spectrum of activities, including protests, the formation of labour unions, venue rentals, film censorship, tender submissions, and the eligibility criteria for social workers, educators, and public servants in the region, the report mentioned.
This year, Beijing's regulatory authority has further expanded to encompass the catering and entertainment sectors, as well as other recreational venues. At the same time, press freedoms and artistic expression continue to encounter growing suppression, it remarked. Schools at all levels in Hong Kong are now mandated to investigate the backgrounds of external collaborative organisations and individuals to assess if they "oppose China or disrupt Hong Kong," the report outlined, as noted by Taipei Times.
Since the enforcement of Hong Kong's National Security Law five years ago, 332 individuals have been arrested on national security charges, with harsh penalties issued to those involved in the "Hong Kong 47" case, it noted, as highlighted by the Taipei Times.
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