China opens new Hong Kong security agency headquartersGuests drive past barriers near the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after its official inaugurationHONG KONG - China on Wednesday opened a new office for its security agents to operate openly in Hong Kong for the first time under a tough new law, transforming a hotel into the force's headquarters. "The Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was inaugurated here on Wednesday morning," China's official Xinhua news agency said. A plaque bearing the security agency's name was unveiled early Wednesday in front of Hong Kong government and police officials, an AFP reporter on the scene said. Beijing imposed a new security law on Hong Kong last week targeting acts of subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion. Among the many precedent-breaking provisions the law contains is authorisation for China's security apparatus to work openly inside Hong Kong, with powers to investigate and prosecute national security crimes.

Source: Bangkok Post July 08, 2020 00:22 UTC