Securitisation or Autocratisation? Hong Kong’s Rule of Law under the Shadow of China’ Authoritarian Governance

Lai, Yan-ho

Abstract

This article examines the nature of the legal system in Hong Kong and its process of autocratisation under the Chinese sovereign. This article suggests that, in colonial and post-colonial times, Hong Kong’s legal system follows the global trend of autocratic legalism that empowers the executive branch to use laws and courts to achieve the government’s political goals. With the recent imposition of the national security law, the political and legal systems of Hong Kong are further autocratised beneath the veil of securitisation, facilitating China’s authoritarian governance in Hong Kong.

Citation

Lai, Y.-H. (2023). Securitisation or Autocratisation? Hong Kong’s Rule of Law under the Shadow of China’ Authoritarian Governance. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 58(1), 8-25. https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096221124978

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 9, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Oct 8, 2022
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2023
• Deposit Date: Oct 12, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 9, 2122
• Journal: Journal of Asian and African Studies
• Print ISSN: 0021-9096
• Electronic ISSN: 1745-2538
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 58
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 8-25
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096221124978
• Keywords: Authoritarianism, Hong Kong, human rights, China, national security, rule of law
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00219096221124978