The Foreign Office has summoned the Chinese ambassador to make clear the UK’s “concern” over the new Hong Kong national security law.
Liu Xiaoming was called to a meeting where the Foreign Office’s permanent secretary Sir Simon McDonald said the imposition of the legislation breaches the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
The meeting comes just hours after China imposed the legislation on the city.
The national security law targets secession, subversion, terrorism and colluding with foreign forces with punishments up to life in prison.
Sir Simon made clear the UK’s “deep concern” over the new law, which came into effect in Hong Kong on Monday, without the details being published first.
Acts of vandalism against government facilities or public transport can be prosecuted as subversion or terrorism, while anyone taking part in activities deemed as secessionist would also be in violation of the new law.
The law directly targets some of the actions of anti-government protesters last year, which included attacks on government offices and police stations, damage to subway stations, and the shutdown of the city’s international airport.
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