London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Hong Kong national security law: top US diplomat criticises legislation on programme by city’s public broadcaster

Hanscom Smith accuses China of using the law to erode the city’s fundamental freedoms and create an atmosphere of coercion and self-censorship. He also says after the programme that it will be a tragedy if the city’s anti-government protest slogans fall foul of the law

America’s top diplomat in Hong Kong went on a radio programme by public broadcaster RTHK on Monday to criticise Beijing’s national security law for the city, barely a week after the controversial legislation came into effect.

In response, the city’s government revealed on Monday night that Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung and Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu met US Consul General to Hong Kong and Macau, Hanscom Smith, earlier in the day to express grave concern over the matter.

Smith had accused China of using the legislation to erode Hong Kong’s fundamental freedoms and create an atmosphere of coercion and self-censorship.

“We want to create an atmosphere that is as free and open as possible, that allows … everyone in Hong Kong to be able to operate in a way that’s free of coercion and intimidation and is consistent with what [they] were promised in the [Sino-British] Joint Declaration,” he said.

“Hong Kong has been a successful economy precisely because of its openness and transparency. When you start undermining that with opaque measures [of] extraterritoriality, vaguely defined criteria, then you start to undermine what makes Hong Kong work.”

After the programme, he said it would be a tragedy if Hong Kong’s popular anti-government protest slogans fell foul of the law.

In a statement issued on Monday evening, a government spokesman said the implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle in Hong Kong was entirely an internal matter of Beijing and no other state or legislature had the right to intervene.

“Social unrest, the failure of the rule of law and a lack of protection for corporate assets and personal safety are genuine factors that would undermine investors’ confidence.

“As a matter of fact, these were the factors that led to the fall of Hong Kong’s international rankings in the past year. The US has its own national security legislation, but we have never heard that such legislation affected the economic development and business environment of the US,” the spokesman said.

Reacting to Smith’s comments, Ip Kwok-him, a Hong Kong deputy to China’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress, said the fact that Smith was able to criticise Beijing on a public broadcaster showed that Hong Kong still enjoys a high degree of freedom.

“It was quite rare for the US consul general to speak on any local radio programme, I think Beijing’s foreign ministry is going to have a word about it,” he said.

“The US is a major target of the national security law, and Washington must be upset about the legislation. Under this context, Smith must represent his government in speaking up, or he could be fired.”

The controversial legislation Beijing tailor-made for Hong Kong outlaws acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces in the city’s affairs, and carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The law was enacted just before Hong Kong marked the 23rd anniversary of its return to Chinese rule on July 1, sparking concerns over the fate of the one country, two systems principle that has guided the city’s governance since 1997.

Asked if Smith could be breaking the new law, Basic Law Committee member Priscilla Leung Mei-fun said it was not unlawful to criticise anyone.

“Criticising the law alone does not constitute any of the four offences of the new law, as everyone can have his or her own views. You can’t say they are provoking hatred towards authorities unless there are substantial acts,” she said.

In an interview with the Post on Thursday, Smith said the US consulate in Hong Kong would continue to interact with the city’s opposition politicians, even with foreign interference outlawed under the new legislation.

Washington imposed visa restrictions on Chinese officials last month and banned exports of defence equipment and sensitive US technology to Hong Kong while reacting to the new law, prompting Beijing to announce tit-for-tat visa restrictions on American individuals.

The US Congress this month passed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which penalises Chinese officials who erode Hong Kong’s autonomy as well as banks and firms that do business with them, sending it to the White House for President Donald Trump’s signature.

“It’s very important for us to highlight the fact that to the extent that mainland China starts treating Hong Kong more like the mainland, then the way we treat Hong Kong has to reflect that as well,” Smith told the state broadcaster on Monday.

He warned that the erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy by Beijing would undermine the city’s success as an international business hub.

“I think we’re troubled by the provisions of the national security legislation that refer to foreign collusion. There’s been an ongoing propaganda campaign by Beijing to point to foreign scapegoats … We reject those accusations. Of course what’s happening in Hong Kong reflects [their people’s] own interests and concerns.

“Hong Kong, to be successful, has to maintain what sets it apart from mainland China and that includes [its] openness, transparency, protection of intellectual property, free expression and all of these attributes that have been the cornerstones of the success of this city,” Smith said.

“You cannot divorce these fundamental freedoms from Hong Kong’s success as an economic hub. In other words, you can’t have one country and two economic and financial systems. Fundamental political and social freedoms are very closely linked to economic success.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×