The UK, Australia and Taiwan have urged their citizens to exercise caution in Hong Kong after the city’s authorities rushed through a draconian new security law.
Part of a series of moves intended to silence dissent and stifle opposition to Chinese rule, Article 23 came into force on Saturday, introducing a series of vaguely defined crimes including treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets, external interference and espionage.
The introduction of the new law was condemned by Lord Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, for further damaging rights and freedoms in the city.
Its broad definitions of national security and external interference would make it harder for those who live, work and do business in Hong Kong and failed to provide certainty for international organisations, including diplomatic missions operating there, he said.
Life imprisonment
In fresh travel advice, the Foreign Office cautioned British citizens to show heightened…