The U.S. urged China to respect Hong Kong's autonomy, warning that its proposed national security law for the city would be "highly destabilizing."
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said on Thursday that China's proposed legislation undermines the promises it made before regaining control of the financial hub from Britain in 1997, adding that it will global opposition.
Earlier the same day, China announced its plan to introduce a bill on Friday, the first day of its rubber-stamp parliament session, to strengthen enforcement of laws in Hong Kong that prohibit "subversion."
The move could give Beijing power to crack down on anti-government protests in Hong Kong.
Pro-democracy leaders and activists argue that the measure will mark the end of Hong Kong as they know it, a fear that has grown in the city amid months of massive and violent protests last year.
<Photo: Yonhap News>
