NPR

4 Takeaways From Beijing's Hong Kong Power Grab

Hong Kong is supposed to be a semiautonomous enclave of China, "one country, two systems." But China is moving to impose a sweeping national security law on the city, which critics say is illegal.

China is moving closer toward imposing a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong, which activists and pro-democracy lawmakers say would effectively end whatever autonomy the city enjoys from Beijing.

On Thursday, China's national legislature approved a motion to begin drafting the law, which would prohibit four broad categories of activity in Hong Kong: sedition, subversion of state power, foreign interference and terrorism — as defined by China.

Legal scholars question whether Beijing has the authority to impose this law on Hong Kong. Under the principle Beijing calls "one country, two systems," the territory is responsible for its own governance.

Here are four takeaways about Beijing's Hong Kong power grab.

Beijing says

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