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WORLD NEWS Friday 29 May 2020
Chinese lawmakers endorse Hong Kong national security law

By JOE McDONALD to try to reverse an eco-
Associated Press nomic slump after Chinese
BEIJING (AP) — China's industries were shut down
legislature endorsed a na- to fight the coronavirus
tional security law for Hong pandemic.
Kong on Thursday that has Private sector analysts say
strained relations with the as much as 30% of the ur-
United States and Britain ban workforce, or as many
and prompted new pro- as 130 million people, lost
tests in the territory. their jobs at least tempo-
The National People's Con- rarily during the shutdown.
gress approved the bill as They say as many as 25 mil-
it wrapped up an annual lion jobs might be lost for
session that was held un- good this year.
der intensive anti-corona- The budget calls for giving
virus controls. The vote was local governments 2 trillion
2,878-1 with six abstentions, yuan ($280 billion) to spend
in line with the high-profile on meeting goals including
but largely ceremonial creating 9 million new jobs.
body's custom of near- That is in line with expec-
unanimous support for all tations of higher spending
legal changes decided by but a fraction of the $1 tril-
the ruling Communist Party. lion-plus stimulus packages
The law will alter Hong Delegates stand during the closing session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, launched or discussed by
Kong's mini-constitution, or Thursday, May 28, 2020. Associated Press the United States, Japan
Basic Law, to require the and Europe.
territory to enforce mea- try, two systems" framework to announce Washington common interests" in resolv- Li, the premier, said Beijing is
sures to be decided by the and might be used to sup- will no longer treat Hong ing global problems and in a "strong position to intro-
NPC's standing committee, press political activity. Kong as autonomous from promoting trade, science duce new measures" if nec-
a small body controlled by Premier Li Keqiang, the Beijing. That could hurt the and other fields. essary but wants to avoid
the ruling party that han- country's No. 2 leader, de- territory's attractiveness as "Both countries stand to flooding the economy with
dles most lawmaking work. fended the law as consis- a business center. gain from cooperation and too much money. He said
The law reflects the deter- tent with Beijing's promises. Pompeo's notice adds lose from confrontation," 70% of planned spending is
mination of President Xi "The decision adopted by Hong Kong to the Trump Li said. On Thursday, three aimed at putting wages in
Jinping's government to the NPC session is designed administration's conflicts pro-democracy lawmakers workers' pockets in order to
tighten control over Hong for steady implementa- with China over trade, were ejected from Hong support consumer spend-
Kong following 11 months tion of 'one country, two technology, religious free- Kong's legislative chamber ing, the biggest driver of
of anti-government pro- systems' and Hong Kong's dom, Chinese handling of during a debate over a bill the economy.
tests. Activists in Hong Kong long-term prosperity and the coronavirus pandemic that would criminalize in- "We will do our utmost to
say the law will undermine stability," Li said at a news and the status of Taiwan, sulting or abusing the Chi- keep China's economic
the "high degree of auton- conference. the self-ruled island Beijing nese national anthem. growth stable," Li said.
omy" promised to the for- The law and the way it is claims as its own territory. Also Thursday, the NPC "At the same time, we
mer British colony when it being enacted prompted Li called for mutual respect approved a government must make sure that all
was handed back to China U.S. Secretary of State Mike and Sino-U.S. coopera- budget that will increase measures taken are well
in 1997 under a "one coun- Pompeo on Wednesday tion to promote "extensive spending to generate jobs calibrated."q

Kosovo’s caretaker governing party holds peaceful rally

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Manxhuka, said the rally Cabinet because it won
A few thousand support- was intended to illustrate the most seats in Kosovo's
ers of Kosovo's left-wing the party's ability to as- parliamentary election in
governing party surround- semble a protest crowd October.
ed government build- while respecting the con- The party argues that if it
ings Thursday to oppose ditions during the corona- is unable to put together
the nomination of a new virus pandemic. a government, the coun-
prime minister by the small Kurti has led a caretaker try should have another
Balkan country's president. government since he lost election. Hoti's LDK says it
The participants main- a no-confidence vote in has the required number
tained social distanc- late March initiated by of votes, at least 61 in the
ing and wore masks and the LDK, which at the time 120-seat parliament, for his
gloves during the demon- was the junior partner in a confirmation.
stration around the parlia- coalition government with Kosovo's Constitutional
ment, main government Vetevendosje! Court has suspended the
and presidential buildings Vetevendosje! argues nomination decree until Supporters of the governing left-wing Self-Determination party,
in Pristina. A big poster at that the presidential de- May 29. or "Vetevendosje" of acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti gather
the rally read, "We want cree nominating Avdul- Kosovo was part of Ser- for a demonstration, outside the main government buildings,
elections." lah Hoti to become prime bia until an armed sepa- in Pristina, Kosovo, Thursday, May 28, 2020.
A spokesman for the Self- minister is unconstitutional, ratist uprising in 1998-1999 Associated Press
Determination Movement, claiming it is the only par- triggered a bloody Serb bombing campaign its troops and ended the
or Vetevendosje!, Arlind ty entitled to form a new crackdown. A NATO forced Serbia to withdraw war. q