It is false to say China's national security legislation for Hong Kong denigrates "one country, two systems," but instead it protects the practice of the principle in the country's special administrative region, said a U.S. expert on China.
"It is false to say that by passing this national security law that 'one country, two systems' is being denigrated. In fact, I think Hong Kong's prosperity and stability can be guaranteed in that regard," Sourabh Gupta, senior fellow at the Washington-based Institute for China-America Studies, told Xinhua on Friday.
"Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland are two parties which are joined together under the principles of 'one country two systems' and Hong Kong and China will thrive when it is implemented resolutely and fatefully," he said.
"Frankly, in my view, I think it's a must for what the Chinese government has done, with regard to the people, law-abiding people and all businesses in Hong Kong, I think it materially amounts to no change whatsoever," he said.
"This is meant to target a very small subset of infiltrators and secessionists. And it is those people who need to worry about what China has passed because they will not be able to continue with their activities on Hong Kong soil for much longer given what China has passed," Gupta said.
"I think Hong Kong needs it right now because as there is a gap in terms of national security related to Hong Kong as we saw last year things there amounted to a very dangerous escalation and situation," he said.
"And we've had many instances where Hong Kong police have found chemicals and bomb-making equipment and I think Hong Kong's situation was frankly getting out of control. It's time to restore some sanity in terms of management of Hong Kong's law and order situation," he said.
