18 - Enacting security laws in Hong Kong

Summary

Introduction

This chapter outlines the events surrounding the resisted and, at times, frustrated attempts to enact security laws in Hong Kong from 2001 to 2004. It will be argued that the resistance was attributable to a number of factors, the most important of which was the absence of a grassroots concept of security, conceived in Hong Kong as a result of a genuine and informed public consultation process. In respect of both the anti-terrorism and national security initiatives, the misguided strategy of the government was to impose a set of proposals at the outset, adopt a defensive attitude in the consultation process, and make significant concessions at the final hour as acts of appeasement. This chapter will conclude with a discussion of ideas for developing a new implementation strategy that will take the discourse on security in Hong Kong to a new level.

Initiatives to enact security laws 2001–2004

Security regime before september 11

While under British rule, seven of the major international treaties on terrorism were extended to Hong Kong after ratification by the United Kingdom. The colonial government in turn implemented these treaties. It was never considered necessary to apply the general anti-terrorism laws enacted in the United Kingdom to Hong Kong.