Beijing [China], March 20 : China has retaliated against foreign critics of Hong Kong's national security law, accusing many nations of "slandering and smearing," according to Al Jazeera.
The legislators in Hong Kong enacted the law, Article 23 on Tuesday, drawing harsh condemnation for what they saw as its potential impact on the city under Chinese authority.
China responded on Wednesday, calling out the European Union and the United Kingdom in particular for being "hypocritical.
According to Al Jazeera, Article 23, which comes on the heels of a China-imposed national security law passed in 2020, punishes a range of offences, including treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets, external interference and espionage.
The terms vary from a few years to a lifetime in prison.
China responded to the new rules, which were intended to close "gaps" in Beijing's legislation, as soon as possible, according to Hong Kong leader John Lee. The move prompted an international outcry.
"China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to certain countries and institutions slandering and smearing Hong Kong's national security regulations," the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian told a press conference on Wednesday.
Further aligning it with mainland China, Hong Kong's legislature unanimously passed a new national law on Tuesday that expands government power to crush dissent, Al Jazeera reported.
The Safeguarding National Security Law passed includes new measures on treason, espionage, external interference, state secrets and sedition.
"Today is a historic moment for Hong Kong," said Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, who added that the law punishing five major crimes would go into effect on March 23.
It gives the government more power to quash dissent, widely seen as the latest step in a sweeping political crackdown triggered by pro-democracy protests in 2019. It comes on top of a similar law imposed by Beijing four years ago, which has already largely silenced opposition voices in the financial hub, Al Jazeera reported.
Critics say that the major piece of legislation, known as Article 23, further threatens the Chinese-ruled city's freedoms.
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