Hong Kong refuses to clarify law as uncertainty dims business hub

Officials are refusing to clarify what activities are legal, reflecting era of uncertainty under national security law. “The examples can be found on the day of June 4 when the authorities used preventive detention to hinder individuals from engaging in public actions, without any legal grounds.” The legal ambiguity has raised concerns among Hong Kong’s foreign business community, who have long pointed to the British-inherited legal system as a key consideration in choosing the city as a corporate base over other Asian metropolises. “This would worsen when the government continues to arbitrarily use laws and courts to achieve political goals, and when the courts have less ability to impose constraints over government action that would eventually impact business activities in Hong Kong,” Lai said. Its impact is about two steps removed, but in some ways, the impact is even more insidious and under the radar.” Similarly, Hong Kong’s legal atmosphere may impact long-term decisions by businesses, such as whether to renew a lengthy commercial lease or replace departing employees with new hires, Yam said. “You may think this is a degradation, but the Hong Kong authorities may think that this is elevating Hong Kong to the same level as the rising motherland.” The Hong Kong government did not reply by publication time but in a statement emailed on the night of June 9 said it would “continue to resolutely carry out its duties and obligations to safeguard national security and at the same time protect the rights and freedoms that Hong Kong resident enjoy.” The government said “so long as people strictly observe the laws in Hong Kong, including the National Security Law, they will not unwittingly violate the law” but did not respond to specific queries from Al Jazeera about what kinds of protest activities are now illegal.