This photo taken on March 8, 2024 shows the public consultation booklets for Basic Law Article 23 legislation, in Hong Kong. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

The long-awaited draft of the proposed Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, unveiled on Friday, is “clearly written”, can provide protection of human rights, and will create a safer investment environment, according to major political groups and social leaders.

They also agreed that deterrents are necessary for the offenses in the proposed legislation.

The party said it believed that the ordinance, once enacted, will work in tandem with the National Security Law for Hong Kong to make the city more stable and safer and allow it to fight for economy at full steam 

Pledging full support to the draft bill, the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong said that the draft fully takes into account the opinions received from various sectors of society during the consultation period, including the suggestions of industrialists and businessmen. 

The legislation will improve the business environment in Hong Kong, enhance the confidence of domestic and foreign investors, promote investment and attract talents, and provide the strongest institutional guarantee for Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity, the alliance said, urging the legislature for to undertake a speedy review and pass the law. 

The Liberal Party also vowed full participation in legislation-related work to ensure that the legislation can be completed efficiently. They also noted that Chinese mainland and foreign companies’ legitimate rights and interests will not be affected in any way as long as their legitimate operations do not engage in acts that endanger national security. The party believes that the legislation will create a safer environment for Hong Kong’s development and enhance the confidence of local and overseas investors.

The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) said the stipulations of the draft bill are clearly worded and have extensively drawn on legislative experiences of other common law jurisdictions while taking into consideration of Hong Kong’s actual needs. The DAB said it believes that the ordinance will effectively safeguard the city’s international financial hub status and business environment.  

The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions said the draft is in line with relevant international bills of human rights and international practices. It added that the HKSAR government had fully taken account of the public’s views during public consultation. 

Also chipping in, the New People’s Party said the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance is in line with the existing laws by providing respect and protection of human rights. The party said it believed that the ordinance, once enacted, will work in tandem with the National Security Law for Hong Kong to make the city more stable and safer and allow it to fight for economy at full steam.

The detention period for national security cases is more than 14 days, and said that it is inappropriate to put national security cases on a par with general criminal cases

READ MORE: HK begins public consultation on national security legislation  

Andy Tsang Wai-hung, former Hong Kong police commissioner, said he believed the up-to 14-day detention period, as proposed by the government in the draft, was necessary as law enforcers need to take sufficient time to investigate and decide whether to prosecute. 

Tsang noted that in United Kingdom, the detention period for national security cases is more than 14 days, and said that it is inappropriate to put national security cases on a par with general criminal cases. 

Nicholas Chan Hiu-fung, a lawyer, said he believed a maximum of 14 days detention is reasonable, compared to the 14 days or more in the UK and as much as two years in Singapore. 

“The proposed law meets all applicable international conventions and standards, human rights protections under national and local laws, and many procedural safeguards; justice will be dispensed by one of the world’'s highest rated independent judiciaries in a city consistently ranked with the strongest rule of law and freedom,” Chan said.

READ MORE: LegCo to first read draft national security ordinance Friday

Henry Tang Ying-yen, a member of the Standing Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee, said there is a need for a deterrent for offenses of treason and insurrection, which also attract severe punishment in national security laws of other places.