Hong Kong passed new film censorship law to "ensure national security"

Lawmakers in Hong Kong passed a film censorship law on Wednesday to ban films that are “contrary to the interests of national security.”

Today, on the last day of this Legislative Council term , lawmakers passed the third reading of the Film Censorship (Amendment) Bill 2021.

Film censors will be required to take national security considerations into account when screening films.

The bill will give Secretary for Administration John Lee Ka-chiu powers to revoke permissions on previously approved films if he finds them to be detrimental to national security.

It will be an offence to show an unapproved film that is in contrary to the interests of national security. Offenders may face up to three years in jail and a HK$1 million fine upon conviction.

In response to proposals that similar regulations should be placed on videos circulating on the Internet, Secretary for Commercial and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-wah said the bill will only apply to films shown at cinemas and movie-showing venues.

Business and Professionals Alliance lawmaker Priscilla Leung Mei-fun said authorities should not oversee the risks of spreading anti-national security ideas in existing movies.  

She criticized the film Ten Years, which was shown by pro-democracy political parties in various events across town in 2016, for being full of hatred against China and Putonghua, selling the idea of China-phobia, and inciting Hong Kong independence.