Declaration by the High Representative, on behalf of the European Union, on the announcement by China’s National People’s Congress spokesperson regarding Hong Kong
On 21 May, a spokesperson for China’s National People’s Congress announced that the upcoming NPC session will deliberate on a draft bill to “establish and improve the legal framework and enforcement mechanism in order to safeguard national security in Hong Kong”.

The European Union has a strong stake in the continued stability and prosperity of Hong Kong under the ‘One Country Two Systems’ principle. It attaches great importance to the preservation of Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, in line with the Basic Law and with international commitments, as well as to the respect for this principle.

The EU considers that democratic debate, consultation of key stakeholders, and respect for protected rights and freedoms in Hong Kong would represent the best way of proceeding with the adoption of national security legislation, as foreseen in Article 23 of the Basic Law, while also upholding Hong Kong’s autonomy and the ‘One Country Two Systems’ principle.

The EU will continue to follow developments closely.

高级代表欧盟代表，就中国全国人大发言人关于香港国安立法的声明：

5月21日，中国全国人民代表大会发言人宣布，即将举行的全国人民代表大会会议将审议一项法案草案，以“建立和完善法律框架和执法机制，以维护香港的国家安全”。

在“一国两制”原则下，欧盟对香港的持续稳定与繁荣有着重大利益。我们非常重视根据《基本法》和国际承诺维护香港的高度自治，并尊重这一原则。

欧盟认为，如《基本法》第二十三条所预见的那样，按香港的自治和“一国两制”原则，在香港进行民主辩论，与主要利益相关者进行磋商以及尊重香港受保护的权利和自由，将是着手通过《国家安全法》的最佳途径。

欧盟将继续密切关注事态发展。