2 October 2002

The Editor
Time Magazine

Dear Sir,

One might argue that fact has been subverted for fiction in your Viewpoint column 'Subverting Hong Kong's Autonomy' (TIME, October 7).

Fact: Hong Kong has a legal duty under its mini-constitution the Basic Law, and a moral responsibility as a Special Administrative Region of China, to enact laws 'on its own' to protect national security and sovereignty.

Fact: The proposals draw heavily on existing laws, which have been narrowed considerably in scope. Very few new laws will be needed. The proposals are being debated vigorously in our free and unfettered media. Any legislation will require the approval of our own Legislative Council.

Fact: The laws will be interpreted by our own courts, which have a long common law tradition and a deep understanding of our international human rights obligations. Fact: The power to proscribe any Hong Kong organization will lie in Hong Kong, not in Beijing. And even if an organisation is banned in the Mainland on national security grounds, it does not automatically follow that a Hong Kong organization with the same name would be banned in Hong Kong.

Fact: The UK and US Governments and the European Commission have all stated in various assessments of their own that the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people have been protected since Reunification in 1997. The proposals do not, and will not, change our commitment to continue protecting those rights and freedoms.

Yours faithfully, ( Mrs Regina Ip ) Secretary for Security Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

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