Hong Kong Urged to Water Down Security Bill

HONG KONG — A top pro-Beijing lawmaker Thursday asked the Hong Kong government to water down an anti-subversion bill that prompted a protest by an estimated 350,000 people this week.

“Since people still have existing doubts and this has caused such a great controversy, can the government consider responding to people’s worries?” asked Jasper Tsang, chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong.

The law, expected to be enacted next week, would ban subversion, treason and sedition, giving police more powers and mandating life prison sentences for some offenses. Many Hong Kong residents fear an erosion of local freedoms of speech, press and assembly.

Journalists are worried about a provision that outlaws unauthorized disclosure of classified information. Tsang suggested that the government could allow them to avoid conviction if they can prove such materials were published in the public interest.

The government has repeatedly rejected that idea in the past.

Tsang’s remarks were unusual for Hong Kong. Li Pang-kwong, a professor of politics and sociology, said Tsang was “testing the waters” to try to gauge whether the public would support an amended bill.

Lawmakers were scheduled to meet today to discuss urging Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to respond to the massive march.