Hong_Kong leader gains security power

The China — Hong Kong>>> government has proposed new legislation that would grant its leader, John Lee Ka-chiu>>>, the power to unilaterally classify criminal acts as national security offenses. This move is seen by critics, including law professors Simon Young>>> and Eric Lai>>>, as a further erosion of the city's civil liberties and rule of law, which were promised when the former British colony returned to China>>> in 1997. The United States — Bureau of Port Security>>> and the United States — United States Department of Justice>>> submitted the document outlining the subsidiary legislation. John Lee Ka-chiu>>> and Secretary for Justice Paul Lam>>> defend the proposal, arguing it refines procedural matters and is crucial for stability, especially given the sensitive information involved in national security determinations. Critics, however, warn of arbitrary power exercise without safeguards, potentially weaponizing other crimes like commercial fraud against dissidents.