HONG KONG - A new national security law came into force in Hong Kong on March 23 despite growing international criticism that it could erode freedoms in the city, which is ruled by China but has some autonomy stemming from its history as a British colony.

The law, also known as Article 23, took effect at midnight when it was published on a government website, days after Hong Kong's pro-Beijing lawmakers passed it unanimously, fast-tracking legislation to plug what the authorities called national security loopholes.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee signed the new national security law on March 22 evening, saying it “accomplished a historic mission, living up to the trust placed in us by the (Chinese) central authorities”.

The United States expressed concerns that the law would further erode the city’s autonomy and damage its reputation as an international business hub.

“It includes vaguely defined provisions regarding ‘sedition’, ‘state secrets’ and interactions with foreign entities that could be used to curb dissent,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Australia and Britain on March 22 criticised the law after a meeting in Adelaide, noting in a joint statement “deep concerns about the continuing systemic erosion of autonomy, freedoms and rights” in Hong Kong.

The United Nations and the European Union recently noted the extremely swift passage of the law with limited public consultation, by a legislature overhauled in recent years to remove opposition democrats.

Australia, Britain and Taiwan updated their travel advisory for Hong Kong, urging its people to exercise caution.

“You could break the laws without intending to and be detained without charge and denied access to a lawyer,” the Australian government said.

The Hong Kong authorities, however, in a statement, “strongly condemned such political manoeuvres with skewed, fact-twisting, scaremongering and panic-spreading remarks”.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the guarantee that its high degree of autonomy and freedoms, including freedom of speech and of assembly, would be protected under a “one country, two systems” formula.

In recent years, many pro-democracy politicians and activists have been jailed or gone into exile, and liberal media outlets and civil society groups have been shut down.

In a joint statement, led by the overseas-based Hong Kong Democracy Council, 145 community and advocacy groups condemned the law and called for sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials involved in its passage, as well as a review of the status of Hong Kong’s Economic and Trade Offices worldwide.

“It’s time for the United States to step up for political prisoners and freedom in Hong Kong. Every time we let authoritarians get away with atrocities, we risk other bad actors attempting to do the same,” said Hong Kong activist Frances Hui, who is wanted by the Hong Kong police.

She was speaking in Washington during a news conference with the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), which advises Congress.

Mr Chris Smith, a co-chairman of the CECC, said the Hong Kong trade offices had “simply become outposts of the Chinese Communist Party, used to engage in transnational repression”.

China defends the security crackdown as essential to restoring order after months of sometimes violent anti-government and pro-democracy protests in 2019.

About 291 people have been arrested for national security offences, with 174 people and five companies charged so far.

The Chinese authorities insist all are equal before the national security laws that have restored stability to Hong Kong, and that individual rights are respected, though no freedoms are absolute.

A previous attempt to pass the national security law was scrapped in 2003 after 500,000 people protested.

This time round, public criticism has been muted amid the security crackdown.

In Taipei’s fashionable Ximending shopping district, more than a dozen Hong Kong, Taiwan and Tibet activists gathered to protest against the law and shout their denunciations.

Other protests are planned in Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan and the US. REUTERS