China has been intensifying its control over Hong Kong in recent years, a move that has escalated amidst growing geopolitical tensions and resulted in lawmakers passing extensive security measures. This latest legislation has elicited criticism from both Australia and Britain.
The two countries view China's approach to the South China Sea and now Hong Kong as hazardous behavior that heightens existing tensions. According to Voice of America, they have also censured China for its role in aiding Russia in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The foreign secretaries of both nations issued a joint statement, which read, "They raised deep concerns about the continuing systemic erosion of autonomy, freedoms and rights there and the impact the newly passed Safeguarding National Security Ordinance will have on the city, and recognized the potential impact of these laws on individuals outside of Hong Kong. Ministers called on all those with close relationships with Russia, particularly China, to refrain from helping Russia to continue its war in any way and to convince Russia to end its illegal war."
In 2020, China bypassed the Hong Kong legislature and imposed a national security law that adopted broad definitions of crimes such as terrorism, collusion with foreign powers, and secession. This bill was enacted to limit political resistance towards China and enabled Beijing to heavily influence the judges presiding over such cases. According to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), another wave of legislation was passed by lawmakers in March 2024 that further expands the scope of political crimes.
As reported by CFR in July 2023, at least 260 people had been arrested under this law in Hong Kong, many of whom were prominent pro-democracy activists, lawmakers, and journalists. Furthermore, Beijing has curtailed media freedoms within Hong Kong by shutting down several pro-democracy publications. The new security law can result in detained citizens facing life sentences. In an even more drastic measure, Hong Kong police have started offering rewards for information about pro-democracy activists, prompting many to attempt escape.
