Hong Kong government issues draft of new national security law

The draft includes new laws encompassing espionage, state secrets and sedition comes little over a week after a month-long public consultation period for the bill ended. It will still require several rounds of debate in the Legislative Council, and the convening of a special meeting for first and second readings, with the entire process possibly taking weeks.

The Hong Kong government early on Friday published its draft of a new national security law, according to a document on one of its websites.

The city's legislature will start debating the bill at 11 a.m. (0300 GMT) on Friday, according to an earlier government statement. The draft includes new laws encompassing espionage, state secrets and sedition comes little over a week after a month-long public consultation period for the bill ended.

It will still require several rounds of debate in the Legislative Council, and the convening of a special meeting for first and second readings, with the entire process possibly taking weeks. Businesses including foreign banks, hedge funds and private research operations, along with diplomats and academics are watching developments closely.

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