Hong Kong Authorities Preparing Legal Regulations on 'Anti-China News'

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Amid the forced shutdowns of pro-China opposition Hong Kong media outlets due to Chinese suppression, Hong Kong authorities are considering legal measures to regulate 'fake news' that harms national security.

Chris Tang, Hong Kong Secretary for Security, said in an interview with China News Network on the 4th, "External forces that harm national security have been using fake news to incite social conflicts and attack the government," adding, "Measures targeting fake news must be taken."

He also announced the emergence of new regulations, stating, "The Hong Kong government is studying ways to regulate fake news through laws or other means."

What Hong Kong authorities define as fake news are articles with anti-China and pro-democracy tendencies, which is interpreted as an intention to 'cut off at the source' criticism against the Hong Kong government and the central Chinese government.

He also referred to the Apple Daily, which was shut down in June last year, saying, "This newspaper caused Hong Kong citizens and youth to develop misconceptions about the country and government," and strongly criticized, "A considerable number of 'banjungnanhang' (anti-China and disruptive forces in Hong Kong) have been chained and imprisoned."

He emphasized, "External forces urge them to bare their teeth and wield their claws," and "Even if it takes a long time, they will definitely be regulated by law."

Tang, who rose from Commissioner of Police to Secretary for Security, was a leading figure in the hardline response during the 2019 anti-China protests.

Starting with Apple Daily, three pro-China opposition and pro-democracy media outlets in Hong Kong have shut down in the past six months. Earlier, the pro-democracy online media Citizen News announced its closure on Facebook on the 2nd, stating, "In times of crisis, we must prioritize the safety of everyone on board."

The closure announcement of Citizen News came four days after the shutdown of Stand News. Stand News announced its closure after Hong Kong police raided its headquarters and the homes of executives on the 29th of last month, a day before its 7th anniversary, arresting seven current and former editors and executives and facing asset seizures.

Following the 26-year history of Apple Daily, the closures of Stand News and Citizen News have raised concerns that the already diminished voice of Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp and civil society is being further eroded since the introduction of the Hong Kong National Security Law.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.