- Title: China says new national security law a "birthday gift" for Hong Kong
- Date: 1st July 2020
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JULY 1, 2020) (REUTERS) OFFICIALS ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) EXECUTIVE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, ZHANG XIAOMING, SAYING: "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has received this birthday gift on the 23rd anniversary of its establishment, if we are using this birthday gift analogy. It will certainly continue to show its precious value in the future." MEDIA SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) EXECUTIVE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, ZHANG XIAOMING, SAYING: "In consistence with the general regulations of implementing laws among the international community, (the national security law) will not be applied retroacitvely. This point is clear." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) EXECUTIVE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, ZHANG XIAOMING, SAYING: "Implementing 'One Country Two Systems' in Hong Kong has already shown the central government's political inclusiveness. So you can still have a long-term existence (of both systems). You can still have differing political opinions, including anti-government views. As Comrade (Deng) Xiaoping once said, after Hong Kong's return to China, (one) can still curse the Communist Party, but cannot turn this into actions." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 15th July 2020 08:29
- Keywords: China - Hong Kong China parliament Hong Kong national security law
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001CKZ7XHJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A Chinese official said on Wednesday (July 1) that a recently enacted national security law for Hong Kong is a "birthday gift" for the territory as it marks the 23rd anniversary of its handover to China.
China's parliament passed the detailed legislation earlier on Tuesday (June 30), giving Beijing sweeping powers and setting the stage for radical changes to the global financial hub's way of life.
Zhang Xiaoming, executive deputy director of Beijing's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said during a news conference that the law will not be applied "retroactively" against crimes committed before it was implemented.
Suspects arrested by the mainland's new office in Hong Kong on charges of violating the new national security law for the city will be tried in the mainland, Zhang added.
(Production: Shubing Wang, Fang Nanlin) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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