HONG KONG: Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa yesterday rebutted the US House of Representatives' resolution urging the Hong Kong government to withdraw its national security bill.

He pointed out that it is the Hong Kong government's constitutional responsibility to implement Basic Law Article 23 and that every Chinese citizen has the responsibility to safeguard the national security of his country.

The non-binding US resolution was passed 426-1 on Thursday.

Tung said the Hong Kong government will further explain related issues to the US side. "We will try our best to explain to our friends overseas what is happening in Hong Kong," he said. "And for those who care about us, we will spend time explaining to them."

He stressed that the law will not undermine the freedom and rights Hong Kong people now enjoy. "I want to emphasize that the national security legislation does not affect Hong Kong people's freedom or way of life," he told a media session.

Earlier yesterday, Chief Secretary Donald Tsang said Hong Kong is a very free society where people enjoy freedom of expression and association and respect other people's opinions.

He said that the national security bill truly fulfills the human rights provisions outlined in international human rights conventions.

"We respect other people's views and the views of the US Congress, and would try our best to explain to them what we are doing," he said.

Meanwhile, Secretary for Security Regina Ip informed the LegCo yesterday afternoon that she would move two further amendments to the national security bill at the second reading stage on July 9.

First, she agreed to shorten the time limit from three years to two years for the prosecution of handling seditious publication offence as suggested by the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong.

She also agreed to amend the Companies Ordinance, to the effect that the Registrar of Companies shall (instead of "may") defer winding up action if the right to take legal action against the proscription has not been exhausted by the proscribed organizations.

The suggestion was made by the Liberal Party, who reflected the worries of the business sector that an organization wrongfully banned could not operate any more even though it won a subsequent appeal in court.

(HK Edition 06/28/2003 page1)

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