A piece of legislation that shakes the very foundation of Hong Kong's freedom and prosperity has now been formally adopted by China. The Hong Kong national security law appeared out of the blue and was hastily discussed and passed in Beijing. The fact that it largely bypassed the territory's local legislature shows how authoritarian the move was.
Rules that were put in place upon Hong Kong's return to China from the U.K. in 1997 -- such as "one country, two systems" and the territory's "high degree of autonomy" -- are at risk.
