China releases policy paper on national security in Hong Kong after sentencing

China on Tuesday released a policy white paper on Hong Kong's practice of safeguarding national security to ensure stability in a volatile world, emphasising Beijing has "fundamental responsibility" for national security affairs in the city.



This white paper was released by China's State Council, or cabinet, a day after a Hong Kong court sentenced leading China critic and former media mogul Jimmy Lai to 20 years imprisonment in a landmark foreign collusion case under the city's national security law.



Lai's sentence, the heaviest so far under a China-imposed national security law, drew international criticism from the U.S., Britain, Taiwan, European Union, Japan and rights groups.



The United Nations rights chief Volker Turk "deplored" the sentence of the 78-year-old and said it was "incompatible with international law".



The white paper said Hong Kong would continue to improve its legal system to safeguard national security.



"Hong Kong, enjoying high-standard security, is bound to overcome all risks and challenges on the journey forward, and remain as steady as a rock in a turbulent world," it read.



Hong Kong leader John Lee on Tuesday welcomed the white paper, saying authorities needed to remain vigilant against national security risks.