Xinhua (May 22) reported that Wang Chen, Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on May 22,  explained the draft civil code to NPC Deputies and explained the draft decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The latter was submitted to the NPC on May 22.

Insisting that China has been firmly implementing the principles of "one country, two systems," and that the practice of "one country, two systems" has achieved "unprecedented success", he said "the increasingly notable national security risks in the HKSAR have become a prominent problem". He said "Law-based and forceful measures must be taken to prevent, stop and punish such activities". He drew attention to Article 23 of the Basic Law of the HKSAR, which stipulates that the HKSAR shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People's Government, or theft of state secrets, to prohibit foreign political organisations or bodies from conducting political activities in the HKSAR, and to prohibit political organisations or bodies of the HKSAR from establishing ties with foreign political organisations or bodies, and regretted that in 20 years the HKSAR  had done nothing "due to the sabotage and obstruction by those trying to sow trouble in Hong Kong and China at large, as well as external hostile forces".  He said the draft Law consists of an introduction and seven articles. These include: that China "resolutely opposes the interference in the HKSAR affairs by any foreign or external forces in any form and will take necessary counter measures”; in accordance with Article 3 of the Basic Law, the HKSAR must complete the national security legislation at an earlier date and "effectively prevent, stop and punish acts endangering national security"; Article 4 specifies that when needed, relevant national security organs of the Central People's Government will set up agencies in the HKSAR to fulfil relevant duties to safeguard national security in accordance with the law; and implementation of Article 5 and Article 6 entrusting the NPC Standing Committee to formulate relevant laws etc to safeguard national security and to effectively prevent, stop and punish any act occurring in the HKSAR to split the country, subvert state power, organise and carry out terrorist activities and other behaviours that seriously endanger national security, as well as activities of foreign and external forces to interfere in the affairs of the HKSAR.