|
China's emphasis on national security and executive-led governance has severely weakened Hong Kong's legislative and judicial checks and balances, according to a new report released by Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) ahead of the 29th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China. The assessment warns of growing political control and diminishing autonomy under the "one country, two systems" framework, as reported by The Taipei Times.
According to The Taipei Times, the report, Analysis Report: 29 Years After Hong Kong's Handover, argues that Hong Kong's administration is increasingly mirroring the Chinese Communist Party's governance model by tightening its influence over politics, education, society, the economy and the judiciary. The council said Beijing continues to prioritise national security above all else, while promoting patriotic education, expanding national security legislation and aligning Hong Kong's external policies more closely with mainland China. The report highlighted that newly elected members of Hong Kong's eighth Legislative Council were instructed to back government policies rather than provide oversight. It also pointed to recent amendments to the implementation of Article 43 of the National Security Law and the introduction of new procedural regulations that allow the chief executive to classify criminal cases as national security matters before legislative review. The council further noted that public demonstrations linked to May Day, June 4 and July 1 remain prohibited, while media freedom, artistic expression and academic independence continue to face increasing pressure. It also criticised revisions to school textbooks and official historical narratives, arguing that they encourage political conformity at the expense of critical thinking, as highlighted by The Taipei Times. Surveillance measures and tighter social controls have also raised fears that Hong Kong is adopting Beijing's broader security model. Although Hong Kong's common law system still governs ordinary civil and commercial cases, the report said national security prosecutions continue to attract international criticism due to prolonged detentions and concerns over fair trial standards, as reported by The Taipei Times. (ANI)
|
