OREANDA-NEWS. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China (the supreme legislative body of China) approved the law on Hong Kong national security. The document was adopted at the 20th session of the Standing Committee that ended on June 30. It will be included in Annex III of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, in turn, signed a decree according to which the law comes into force on June 30.

The document outlines the main obligations of the central government of China on issues related to national security, as well as the constitutional responsibility of Hong Kong to maintain it. In particular, it establishes punishments for such crimes as separatism, attempts to undermine state power, terrorism, conspiring with foreign states or anti-Chinese forces abroad.

At the stage of discussion, the bill caused criticism and discontent among the anti-government forces of Hong Kong and many Western politicians who consider that it undermines the autonomy of the special administrative region.