Pompeo warns against HK national security law

Mike Pompeo speaks at the briefing in Washington. Photo: Reuters

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused Beijing of increasing its efforts to interfere in Hong Kong affairs, and cautioned against any effort to impose "draconian" national security laws in the SAR.



Speaking at a State Department news conference in Washington on Wednesday, Pompeo said the US government was closely following events in the SAR.



"We continue to monitor with growing concern Beijing's increasing efforts to interfere with Hong Kong's governance," Pompeo said. "The erosion of Hong Kong's freedoms is inconsistent with the promises the Chinese Communist Party itself made under 'One Country, Two Systems'.



"Any effort to impose draconian national security legislation on Hong Kong would be inconsistent with Beijing's promises and would impact American interests there."



Under Article 23 of the Basic Law, Hong Kong is obliged to implement laws on national security. The last attempt to pass such laws was abandoned in 2003 after massive protests.



However in recent weeks, the head of Beijing’s liaison office, Luo Huining, has called for national security legislation for Hong Kong to combat what he called radical violence, foreign interference and pro-independence forces.



Pompeo's remarks come a week after he accused Beijing of exploiting the world's focus on the coronavirus pandemic with "provocative behaviour" to erode autonomy in Hong Kong.



Those comments drew a sharp rebuke from Hong Kong officials, with Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung complaining that foreign politicians had made “biased and unreasonable allegations”.