Hong Kong's National Security Ordinance to come into effect on the 23rd raises concerns about impact on business activities, etc.

Yesterday NHK News on-line reported the following:

香港で「国家安全条例」23日に施行へ 企業活動などに影響懸念

2024年3月22日 21時40分

香港では、スパイ行為など国家の安全を脅かす行為を取り締まる「国家安全条例」が、23日に施行されます。条例をめぐっては、犯罪行為の定義が広くあいまいだという指摘があり、企業活動などへの影響が懸念されています。

香港の「国家安全条例」は、2020年に施行された「香港国家安全維持法」を補完するもので、

▽「国家機密」を盗むことやスパイ行為

▽反乱の扇動

▽外国勢力による干渉

などを犯罪として規定し、違反すれば最高で終身刑を科すとしています。

親中派が議席をほぼ独占する香港の議会、立法会は、異例のスピードで審議を行い、3月19日に条例案を全会一致で可決しました。

条例は、23日に施行されます。

この条例では、「国家機密」を不法に取得したり開示したりすると懲役5年から10年を科し、外国での行為も取締りの対象としています。

「国家機密」には、「中国や香港の経済・社会、科学技術の発展に関する情報」も含まれると規定するなど範囲が広いうえ、具体的に何を「国家機密」とするかは当局の判断に委ねられ、ビジネスで知り得た情報なども国家機密にあたると判断されるのではないかと懸念する声が出ています。

「反スパイ法」が施行されている中国本土では、日本人がスパイ行為に関わったなどとして当局に拘束されるケースが相次いでいますが、「一国二制度」のもと、中国本土とは異なる法律が適用される香港で、どのような運用が行われるのか注目されています。

香港市民は

「国家安全条例」が施行されることについて22日、香港の市民からはさまざまな声が聞かれました。

60代の男性は「この条例はもっと早く制定されるべきだった。厳しい内容と思うかもしれないが、あとからみれば国家の安全は重要だとわかるでしょう」と話していました。

また、この条例について尋ねたところ、20代の男性は「誰も何も言いたくなくなるでしょう」と答えていたほか、「話せない」などと発言を控える人たちの姿も目立ちました。

専門家「香港の独自性がますます失われる」

中国の社会問題に詳しい東京大学大学院の阿古智子教授は「具体的に、何をすれば国家の安全を脅かすことになるのか、非常にあいまいだ。条例の施行によって、慎重に行動したり、発言を控えたりすることが当たり前になってしまう」と述べ、香港で言論や行動の自由を制限する動きが広がることへの懸念を示しました。

そして、香港で条例に対する表立った抗議がみられないことについて「市民は本音ではもう許せない、もう我慢できない、大声で抗議したいということだと思うが、それをやってしまうと、どこで何をされるか分からない。本当に苦しい状況だと思う」と指摘しました。

さらに阿古教授は、条例は日本のビジネス界などにも大きなリスクになると指摘したうえで、「外国企業の投資がどんどん香港から逃げていってしまい、香港の独自性がますます失われ、中国の一部になってしまう」と警鐘を鳴らしました。

そして、中国経済が低迷する中、条例の施行は中国に対する海外の見方にも影響するとして、「中国は自国の経済を回復させたいのに、自分から問題のある方向に突き進んでいるような感じがする」と批判しました。

Translation

In Hong Kong, the National Security Ordinance, which would crack down on acts that threatened national security such as espionage, would come into effect on the 23rd. Regarding the ordinance, it had been pointed out that the definition of criminal acts was broad and ambiguous, and there were concerns about its impact on business activities.

Hong Kong's "National Security Ordinance" complemented the "Hong Kong National Security Law" that came into effect in 2020.

▽Stealing "national secrets" and espionage

▽Incitement of rebellion

▽Interference by foreign powers

It stipulated that such acts were crimes, and violations thereof would be punishable by up to life in prison.

Hong Kong's parliament, the Legislative Council, where pro-Beijing factions basically monopolized the seats, deliberated at an unprecedented speed and unanimously passed the ordinance on March 19th.

The ordinance would come into effect on the 23rd.

Under this ordinance, anyone who illegally obtained or disclosed "national secrets" could be sentenced to five to 10 years in prison, and these acts done in foreign countries would also be subject to crackdowns.

The scope of ``state secrets'' was wide, including ``information regarding the economy, society, and scientific and technological development of China and Hong Kong,'' and it was up to the authorities to decide what exactly would be ``state secrets.'' There were concerns that information obtained in the course of business might be deemed to be state secrets.

In mainland China, where the "Anti-espionage law" was in effect, there were a number of cases in which Japanese nationals were detained by the authorities for being involved in espionage. Under the "one country, two systems" policy, there was a lot of attention on how the system might be enforced in Hong Kong where laws were different from those in mainland China were applied.

Hong Kong citizen

On the 22nd, regarding the implementation of the National Security Ordinance various voices were heard from Hong Kong citizens.

A man in his 60s said, ``This ordinance should have been enacted sooner. You may think it's harsh, but in hindsight you'll realize that national security is important.''

Also, when asked about this ordinance, a man in his 20s replied, ``No one will want to say anything,'' and it was also noticeable that some people refrained from speaking, saying things like ``I can't talk about it.''

Expert: ``Hong Kong's uniqueness is increasingly being lost''

Tomoko Ako (阿古智子), a professor at the University of Tokyo's graduate school who was an expert on Chinese social issues, said, `` It is very unclear on exactly doing what would threaten national security, to act carefully and to refrain from speaking become the norm”, expressing concern about the growing action to restrict freedom of speech and movement in Hong Kong.

Also, regarding the lack of public protests against the ordinance in Hong Kong, she said, ``I think the people in their hearts will say that they can't tolerate it anymore, they can't stand it anymore, and they want to protest loudly; but if they do that, they don't know where or what will happen. I think it's a really difficult situation.”

Professor Ako also pointed out that the ordinance posed a big risk to the Japanese business community, and warned that ``As more and more foreign companies flee Hong Kong, Hong Kong's uniqueness will be further lost, and it is going to become a part of China".

As China's economy was in a slump, the enforcement of the ordinance might also affect the way China was being perceived overseas, and criticized that ``China wants to revive its own economy, but it feels like it is pushing itself in a problematic direction.''

So, in China where the "anti-espionage law" is in effect, there are a number of cases in which Japanese nationals are detained by the authorities while carrying out business activities on suspicion of espionage. Hongkong is under the "one country, two systems" policy, it is attracting attention to see how the new Hong Kong's "National Security Ordinance"  will be enforced there.