Billed as “Asia’s World City”, Hong Kong has long been a melting pot of various cultures and a global business hub. The endlessly flowing capital and diversity are what allowed the city to experience rapid growth over the past few decades. However, the recent enactment of the national security law has put a halt to Hong Kong’s advancement due to the increased influence of Beijing in Hong Kong’s affairs. This has had an impact on Hong Kong’s international relations and the economy as well as had a permanent transformation to the city’s culture.

Hong Kong has been under the “one country, two systems” principle since its handover of sovereignty from Britain to China in 1997. The city was granted autonomy under the new system with its own governing body, the legal system, and financial administration, including foreign trade relations with other countries. As appealing as this may sound, many people in Hong Kong have had a tense relationship since Hong Kong’s return to China in 1997, peaking in recent years. Most significantly, in 2014, the Pan Democrats of Hong Kong who promoted universal suffrage in the electoral process faced conflict with the mainland government.

Article 45 of the Hong Kong Basic Law states that the process for electing the Chief Executive will be through “universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures”, referring to an election committee comprised of members representing “different sectors” of Hong Kong. The Pan Democrats’ reluctance to accept the constitutional powers of the PRC, claiming that the committee for election would only be of pro-Beijing candidates, has only deepened their political disagreements. I cautiously speculate that the recent enactment and harsh initial enforcement of the national security law for Hong Kong is a result of the PRC government’s belief that efforts to win over the Hong Kong populace and secure passage there of a security law were unavailing.

The Hong Kong national security law, officially the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a recent law concerning Hong Kong, passed, signed, and commenced on June 30th, 2020. Soon after the city seemed as if it had gained autonomy after its transfer from the United Kingdom to China in 1997, Hongkongers’ political, social, and cultural freedom was curtailed by the government’s attempts to implement these articles, 18 and 23, to enact a national security law, despite the Hong Kong government’s unsuccessful attempt in 2003, previously prevented by mass demonstrations. Even worse, the fact that China has constitutional and legal rights to impose this law on Hong Kong leaves many Hongkongers’ despondent to expect any amendments to the national security law in the near future, having to compromise their guaranteed liberty at least until 2047 under the current arrangement of “one country, two systems”.

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