China's action comes after the large scale and often violent pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019, the biggest crisis the former British colony has faced since it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Pro-democracy activists and politicians have for years opposed the idea of national security laws, arguing they could erode the city's high degree of autonomy, guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" handover agreement, which China says it is undermined by protesters. Local pro-democracy lawmakers denounced the plans on Thursday night as "the end of Hong Kong". The introduction of Hong Kong security laws on the agenda of the Chinese parliament, which begins its annual session on Friday after a months-long delay due to the coronavirus, drew a warning from US President Donald Trump that Washington would react "very strongly". An editorial in the state-backed China Daily newspaper late on Thursday said the proposed legislation will "better safeguard Hong Kong's development".

Source: bd News24 May 22, 2020 03:00 UTC