Hong Kong residents from all walks of life collect online signatures and hold a gathering to show their support for the draft bill to safeguard the national security law to be implemented in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The legal agenda was announced on May 28. Photo: cnsphoto

China's decision of national security legislation in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has been welcomed by young people from both Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, who are eager for stability and prosperity in the region and profoundly tie their career development with the city.

Young professionals said they hope national security law will be implemented as soon as possible in Hong Kong.

The US and Europe will not support Hong Kong in difficult times without financial and political benefits, but China's central government has always cared for Hong Kong and makes all efforts to promote Hong Kong's development, the young people say.

The decision to establish a sound legal system and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong was adopted by a large majority of the National People's Congress on May 28, and the Standing Committee of the NPC ordered that "relevant legislation will be accelerated" in its work report.

Confidence toward HK's future

The national security law brings Ellen, a 28-year-old woman from Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province working in Hong Kong, more confidence toward her career pursuit in Hong Kong. She said the law will improve local social stability and prosperity.

Ellen used to work in Central of Hong Kong, a focal point of last year's riots. The combined threat to safety of smoke grenades and traffic blocks made her tired of life, and even prompted her to doubt her dream in Hong Kong. 

She didn't dare express her true opinion toward the riot and had lunch on her own every day during that period. She hopes the implementation of the national security law can end the social fragmentation and bring her a prosperous environment to pursue her dreams in Hong Kong.

Ellen experienced direct confrontations with protesters last year.

She was so angry at the violence on the streets that "I even considered giving up my suitable and satisfying job in Hong Kong and returning to the Chinese mainland because of the social instability last year," she told the Global Times.

Only with social stability can Hong Kong achieve better development. Young people would come to work in Hong Kong full of expectations without having to worry about their safety, she noted.

A group of Hong Kong residents show their support in Wan Chai for the upcoming national security law, which was announced by the 13th National People's Congress on May 28 in Beijing, aimed at ending months-long riots across the city. Photo: Courtesy of Nicholas Muk

US opposition not a concern 

However, some foreign countries have expressed opposition to the national security legislation in Hong Kong.

US President Donald Trump said the US would revoke special trade privileges for Hong Kong. 

A 25-year-old woman from East China's Shandong Province who has studied and worked in Hong Kong's financial industry for seven years, surnamed Yang, is not that worried foreign countries' actions against the national security law in Hong Kong will weaken the city's economic strength.

"What really affects Hong Kong's economic development is the social fragmentation and turbulence. The purpose of the law is to maintain social stability and promote Hong Kong's economic development," Yang noted. 

According to an editorial of Hong Kong newspaper Takungpao on May 27, the national security law can help put things right, deter destructive forces and bring Hong Kong back on the track of rule of law, thus eliminating social unrest and reassuring investors. 

Experts say Hong Kong's financial system will not be weakened by the security law, but strengthened, making Hong Kong more attractive to international capital.

Young people from the Chinese mainland are not the only ones expecting the national security law, as young people from Hong Kong are also looking forward to its implementation.

Yardley Wong, a Hong Kong citizen, told the Global times on Tuesday she is so happy the central authorities would finally enact the national security law in Hong Kong.

"I open my champagne for it," Wong said, who said the law would not affect her much. She noted it may bring back a peaceful neighborhood and normal life to Hong Kong citizens, and open a door to rebuild the city's economy and society.

She said the last 12 months were terrible. "We can't wait to see the law prosecutes those who are seeking harm to China and align with the foreign forces to intervene in our country."

Wong said the national security law is the first step to cut out the pro-colonial thinking and education in which foreign forces have been embedded in every layer of HK society for too long, even after 1997.

Eager for social stability

Nearly 2.93 million Hong Kong residents have signed a petition in support of the national security legislation during an eight-day campaign across Hong Kong.

A 27-year-old woman from South China's Guangdong Province, surnamed Song, who has been in Hong Kong for six years, told the Global Times the protests this year were not as large-scale and fierce as the protests last year, and it had a relatively smaller effect on her life and work than the severe traffic blocks in 2019.

"Hong Kong's citizens are fed up with violence and rioting, and now fewer people are marching and vandalizing the streets. I think it is the national security law that scared them out of their lawlessness," Angus Ng Hok Ming, executive president of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Youth Association who jointly raised the petition, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"In addition, over time, they also found double standards of the United States and realized something was wrong," he noted.

Angus Ng Hok Ming said that young friends in Hong Kong who made mistakes should take advantage of the introduction of the national security law to correct their mistakes, and take advantage of the development of the greater bay area to make a good plan for their own future.