How many articles are there in the National Security Law? What areas does it cover? National security does not only cover politics, military and territory? National security also covers a stable food supply?

1. Is Hong Kong’s National Security Law "exceptionally harsh"?

To determine whether the law is "exceptionally harsh", we will have to "measure it with the same ruler" – compare it with the same set of standards – in order to get an objective comparison. Just like students might think that their school rules are too strict, but only by comparing them to other schools with the same standards can we assess them fairly.

For example, there are over 20 federal laws in the US involving national security, its Homeland Security Act alone has over 1,000 provisions, some even carry a death penalty. In contrast, Hong Kong's National Security Law only has 66 articles in six chapters, covering four major offenses endangering national security, including secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

2. How is our everyday meal also related to national security?

We often associate national security with fields like politics, military or territory, but food security is also a part of national security. A stable food supply is the foundation of a country's economic development, social stability and national security.

Hong Kong's local agricultural sector is relatively small, therefore our motherland's role is vital to provide us with high-quality and sufficient fresh food. The mainland has also been modernizing its agriculture and boosting self-sufficiency rates to safeguard long-term food security.