Nicholas Burns seen visiting Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Central on Tuesday, but refuses to comment on whether trip is related to city’s domestic national security bill.
In addressing concerns about whether local residents in Hong Kong would violate the law under the Article 23 legislation of the Basic Law by keeping the secessionist tabloid Apple Daily “as memento” at home, local officials said it depends on whether the possessor has a reasonable explanation. The clarification served as a rebuttal to Western media hype targeting the law.
Beijing has been slow to address the visa and e-payment woes of foreign travellers, and some officials remain complacent about the exodus of foreign investment. Amid Article 23 jitters in Hong Kong, Beijing must address the multitude of concerns.
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning says US ‘threw dirty water’ on Hong Kong’s proposed legislation while having many national security laws itself.