A man carrying a “Free Hong Kong” sign while riding a motorcycle against police in a protest against the Chinese rulers of the territory became the first person accused of inciting secession and “terrorism” under a new law. national security.
Beijing imposed the legislation on the former British territory earlier this week despite protests from Hong Kong residents and western nations.
Critics say the law, which punishes crimes of secession, subversion, “terrorism” and collusion with foreign forces with life in prison, is intended to crush dissent and a long-running campaign for greater democracy in the main financial center.
Police say Tong Ying-kit, 23, rammed and wounded some officers in an illegal protest on Wednesday. An online video showed a motorcycle shooting down several officers on a narrow street before the driver falls and is arrested.
Tong, who was hospitalized after the incident, was charged less than 24 hours after the city government said the slogan he carried: “Liberate Hong Kong, the revolution of our time,” denotes secession or subversion under the new law. The battle cry appears on banners, T-shirts, and sticky notes taped to the walls around Hong Kong.
Tong Ying-kit’s lawyer, Laurence Lau, speaks to the media outside the West Kowloon court in Hong Kong [Isaac Lawrewnce/AFP]
International concerns
China’s parliament adopted the security law after sometimes violent protests last year were triggered by fears that Beijing would stifle freedoms, guaranteed under a “one country, two systems” formula agreed when Hong Kong returned to Chinese government in 1997.
Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong say the law targets a few “troublemakers” rather than broader rights that support the city’s role as a gateway for capital flows into and out of China.
But international anxiety is growing after authorities arrested 10 people under the new law within 24 hours of its entry into force. The European Union has put Hong Kong first on its agenda, while the United Nations rights office expressed alarm at the arrests.
In another court, dozens rallied in solidarity with a man accused of stabbing a policeman in the arm during the Wednesday riot. They held up blank pieces of paper to show fear of freedom of expression.
“I’m not afraid. Whatever happens,” said a 25-year-old protester who only identified himself as Wilson.
On Wednesday’s 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the Chinese government, police arrested some 370 people, with 10 cases related to violations of the new law.
Protest slogans notes were replaced by empty notes at a ‘yellow’ restaurant, a business supporting the pro-democracy movement, after new national security legislation in Hong Kong [Tyrone Siu/Reuters]
China appoints new security chief
In another ominous signal to activists, a Communist Party official stationed during a 2011 crackdown on land rights protesters in a southern China village will head a newly-empowered national security office in Hong Kong, the agency said. Xinhua News Officer.
Zheng Yanxiong, 57, recently served as secretary general of the Communist Party Committee of Guangdong Province, on the border with Hong Kong.
The leaked images during the 2011 dispute showed him berating the villagers and calling foreign media “rotten.”
This file photo taken on December 20, 2011 shows Zheng Yanxiong, then secretary of the Communist Party of Shanwei Prefecture, speaking on television as villagers watch the broadcast in Wukan, Guandong Province. [Mark Ralston/AFP]
The new legislation gives the security bureau more enforcement action and powers to bring suspects to the mainland, as well as grant privileges to officers, including that Hong Kong authorities are unable to inspect their vehicles.
Some activists have kept a low profile or left.
Demosisto, a pro-democracy group led by Joshua Wong, dissolved hours after the legislation was passed, while prominent group member Nathan Law left the city.
“The protests in Hong Kong have been a window for the world to recognize that China is becoming increasingly authoritarian,” Law told the Reuters News Agency.
Canada halts extraditions
Meanwhile, Canada says it is suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in the wake of China’s move to impose the new legislation, senior officials said Friday.
In a sentence, Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois-Philippe Champagne also said that Ottawa would not allow the export of sensitive military items to Hong Kong, where some 300,000 Canadians live.
Canadian Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne speaking during a press conference in Riga, Latvia [File: Ints Kalnins/Reuters]
Champagne condemned the “secret” way the legislation was enacted, saying Canada had been forced to reevaluate existing agreements.
“Canada will treat exports of sensitive goods to Hong Kong in the same way as those destined for China. Canada will not allow the export of sensitive military items to Hong Kong,” he said. “Canada also suspends the extradition treaty between Canada and Hong Kong.”
Separately, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a briefing that Canada could take further steps, including those related to immigration, but did not elaborate.
Canada and China are caught in a diplomatic and trade dispute that erupted in late 2018 after Canadian police detained Huawei Technologies Co chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on the orders of the United States.
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