Mike Rowse

Opinion | Hong Kong has no one to blame but itself for Beijing’s intervention in national security legislation

Decades of political gridlock, neglect and refusal to compromise forced the central government’s hand. Local government leaders have been distant and aloof while opposition figures have failed to offer serious proposals on the Basic Law directive

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Trams sit stranded as thousands of people block the streets during a protest against Article 23 legislation in Hong Kong on July 1, 2003. Photo: AFP

Mike Rowse

Published: 4:00pm, 31 May 2020Updated: 6:12pm, 31 May 2020

Former undersecretary for the environment Christine Loh Kung-wai gave an interesting history lesson on an RTHK talk show last week during a discussion of the proposed national security legislation.

She reminded listeners she was a member of the Legislative Council in the 1990s. Before the handover, the council had a draft bill which “would have plugged the hole for Article 23”. She called it “a rather liberal version”. For various reasons, which Loh described as the “wisdom of the times”, the bill was not pursued.

I had forgotten this chapter. Like most, I have a clearer recollection of the events of 2003. Then-chief executive Tung Chee-hwa offered a controversial draft bill. Many amendments that brought the bill closer to something acceptable were proposed.

Meanwhile, half a million citizens – then the biggest demonstration since the handover – marched in opposition. Again, the bill was dropped, and secretary for security Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee resigned.

Nothing has happened in the 17 years since. Successive chief executives said it was the wrong time for Article 23 legislation or they had other priorities. All this despite the clear directive in the Basic Law that the onus was on Hong Kong to draft and enact the law.

As for the central government’s announcement that it would insert its national security law into Annex III of the Basic Law and apply it to Hong Kong, the decision has received widespread international and local criticism.