Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government

Rule Changes

Primary enforcer of National Security Law

When Britain returned Hong Kong to China in 1997, Beijing promised the city could keep its free press, independent courts, and civil liberties for 50 years. That guarantee lasted 23 years. On February 9, 2026—two weeks ago—a Hong Kong court sentenced 78-year-old media tycoon Jimmy Lai to 20 years in prison, the longest punishment ever imposed under the National Security Law that Beijing enacted in June 2020 to silence dissent. China followed on February 10 with a white paper celebrating Hong Kong's national security achievements.

Updated Feb 26