Beijing, Jul 1 (UNI) Hong Kong on Wednesday marked the 23rd anniversary of the territory's return to China, hours after Beijing imposed its new Security Law to alter the status of the “Fragrant Harbour'.
As per an Aljazeera report, Chief Executive Carrie Lam joined her predecessors and other officials at the harbour's edge for a flag-raising ceremony.
In her speech, Lam praised the new law as "the most important development" in the relationship between Beijing and Hong Kong since the 1997 handover, saying it is "necessary and timely" move to restore stability.
She also defended the law as "constitutional, lawful, sensible and reasonable".
The national security legislation came into force overnight after being rushed through China's rubber-stamp parliament in record time.
UNI XC PR SB 1227