Maria Tam says security law doesn't breach Basic Law

Maria Tam Wai-chu, a deputy director of the Basic Law Committee, said the national security law does not breach the Basic Law as the law states that it overrides Hong Kong's laws.

Speaking at a forum today, she said since the law was enacted, many people have questioned whether it has undermined “One Country, Two Systems” and breached the Basic Law.

Tam said the fact is that the enactment of the law is not within the scope of Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, and it is the country's powers and not the local government's.

The Basic Law and the security law are both the country's laws, and that the security law is not a subsidiary legislation of the Basic Law, so implementation of the security law in Hong Kong does not contradict with the Basic Law and does not undermine “One Country, Two Systems.”

She pointed out that Hong Kong people who had violated the security law should stand trial in the mainland, but the central government took into account of "One Country, Two Systems" and allows Hong Kong to try most of the cases, which also reflects that the central government values the framework.