Passage of UK State Threats Bill marks important step against transnational repression

Yesterday, the National Security (State Threats) Bill received Royal Assent, passing into UK law. The bill was sponsored by the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and the Minister of State at the Home Office the Rt Hon the Lord Hanson of Flint, and aims to tackle threats posed by hostile foreign powers, including transnational repression from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and its proxies.

Last week, Lord Alton of Liverpool, Patron of Hong Kong Watch and Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, spoke in the House of Lords and warned of security threats posed by Beijing through transnational repression conducted by the United Front Work Department and its proxies. He highlighted amendments to investigate the activities of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO), establish a legal definition of transnational repression in UK law, and scrutinise the PRC’s United Front work.

Recent national security cases, including the HKETO espionage trial, revealed the extent to which individuals aligned with the interests of foreign powers can threaten UK national security. 

The passage of the State Threats Bill is a significant step, but it is not the finish line. In addition to the measures in the State Threats Bill, we urge the British government to take decisive policy action to:

  • Announce a comprehensive review of consular privileges and immunities granted to the HKETO in London;

  • Assess whether the continued operation of the HKETO in London is consistent with the UK’s national security interests;

  • Include the People’s Republic of China in the enhanced tier of the UK’s Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS).

Megan Khoo, Policy Director of Hong Kong Watch, said:

“Hong Kong Watch welcomes the enactment of the State Threats Bill in the UK Parliament, but this is not the end of the battle against transnational repression by the Chinese Communist Party. The threat from its United Front system does not disappear because a bill has passed. It ends only when the government matches this legislation with sustained scrutiny of how the CCP operates on British soil, starting with the HKETO.”

英國《國家威脅法案》通過成為法律 標誌對抗跨國鎮壓重要一步

《國家安全（國家威脅）法案》昨日獲得御准，繼而通過成為英國法律。法案由內政大臣馬曼婷（Shabana Mahmood）和內政部國務大臣漢森勳爵（Lord Hanson of Flint）贊助，旨在對付敵對外國勢力帶來的威脅，包括中國及其代理人的跨國鎮壓威脅。

上週，香港監察贊助人、英國國會人權聯合委員會主席奧爾頓勳爵（Lord Alton of Liverpool）在上議院發言，就北京透過統一戰線工作部及其代理人施展跨國鎮壓所構成的安全威脅發出警告。他強調以下修訂：調查香港經濟貿易辦事處的活動；在英國法律上設立「跨國鎮壓」的法律定義；仔細審查中國的統戰工作。

近期發生的國家安全案件揭示為外國勢力利益行事的人士對英國國家安全的威脅程度，當中包括倫敦經貿辦間諜案。

《國家威脅法案》通過是重要一步，但並非終點。除了《國家威脅法案》提出的措施外，我們促請英國政府採取果斷的政策行動：

  • 宣布對香港駐倫敦經貿辦享有的領事特權和豁免權展開全面審查；

  • 評估香港駐倫敦經貿辦繼續運作是否符合英國國家安全利益；

  • 將中國納入英國「外國影響力登記計劃」進階級別。

香港監察政策總監Megan Khoo表示：

「香港監察歡迎英國國會通過訂立《國家威脅法案》，但這並非對抗中國共產黨跨國鎮壓戰鬥的終點。中共統戰系統的威脅不會因為一項法案通過而消失。只有當政府配合立法，從香港經貿辦開始持續審查中共在英國境內的運作方式，威脅才會終結。」

Photo: ID 17712924, © Tomas Marek, Dreamstime.com

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