Thread by @XinqiSu

“We all agreed that the legislation of Article 23 (of the Basic Law) will happen very soon 好快會發生,” said HK Bar Council chairman Victor Dawes at a press briefing just now wrapping the 1st day of the council’s first visit to Beijing in 5 years.

Dawes was talking about the close-door meeting the council’s delegation had this morning with Shen Chunyao, chairman of the NPCSC Legal Work Committee. Dawes said they had “candid communication” that touched upon a wide range of topics including the #BL23 legislation and #NSL.

“We emphasised to Chairman Shen that in the legislative exercise, other than safeguarding national security, the protection for human rights should be considered and we hope a fine balance can be struck,” Dawes said.

Dawes also said the delegation reported “accurate situation in Hong Kong, and worries held by the city’s legal sector and the general public” regarding the implementation of #NSL to Shen as well. “Reporting only the good news and not the bad is not what we want to nor have done.”

It’s the first official visit the HK Bar Council could pay to Beijing in five years as well as the first one since #covid. Dawes described it as a trip to “meet old friends” instead of an “ice breaking trip” many have depicted. “I hope the tradition of annual visit can resume.”