Hong Kong has quietly broadened the language it uses to describe national security violations, a shift lawyers said could expand the reach of a government crackdown on dissent in the Asian financial hub.
City authorities have begun using the phrase "contrary to the interests of national security” in recent weeks to define new red lines in the entertainment industry and the tax code. Previously, officials had warned more specifically against anything that might "endanger national security.” The latter term appears 31 times in the full text of the security law, while the "contrary to” phrasing is absent.
That subtle shift could increase compliance risks for companies operating in Hong Kong, especially in sectors like technology and media that frequently bump up against political issues. Under the broader term, more people, groups and firms could be accused of security violations for espousing values that run contrary to the government’s stated interests.