This is why, after the Hong Kong protests of 2019 China's government has had enough, we're told a new security laws aimed at safeguarding and enforcing national security on on drugs.

Chief executive sees no Issue So protests itself is an expression off freedoms and rights and opinions if it is done in a legal way.

OK, but for some, this is far from okay.

If this law is imposed on us, that will be the end upon car.

Former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten says this is a comprehensive assault on the city's autonomy rule of law and fundamental freedoms.

And U.

S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo argues Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China.

But are these criticisms fair?

Well, the law is being imposed by Beijing after no meaningful consultation with Hong Kong.

That's a significant change on the law bans trees and secession, sedition, subversion and indeed leaves room for anything deemed a threat to national security.

This inevitably changes what can and can't be said and done in Hong Kong.

This, though, is how Carrie Lam season.

We are very free society is a low for the time being.

People have this freedom to say whatever they want to say, a free society for the time being.

That phrase has no ease concerns.

Nor has a different lording considered in Hong Kong that will make disrespecting the Chinese national anthem.

But crime.

While we've seen protests, clashes with the police on arrest to, and to understand why passions air so inflamed, we need to go back to 1997 when Hong Kong was handed back to the UK Communist government sees the return of the colony is the end of a chapter of shame in the history of China.

China promised to maintain Hong Kong's unique way of life, an arrangement called one country, two systems.

But there's always been tension.

We saw it last year.

Protests grew and grew, driven by a fear that Beijing was extending its reach.

That fear hasn't gone away.

Monk, I I'm not yet so eating.

So I went back.

And now the counter argument here is that 2019 showed that better laws were needed to stop violence like this.

This to Beijing was completely intolerable.

And having seen previous efforts to negotiate a new security law fail.

This time, it didn't ask whether this law is needed or not.

Hong Kong's autonomy has Bean diminished on America's.

Noticed is the BBC's bureau chief in Washington.

US.

Now seems to be saying Hong Kong no longer has any special status with this.

Special trade status is worth billions to Hong Kong's economy on its conditional on Hong Kong being sufficiently autonomous is President Trump spokesperson.

He said to me that he's displeased with China's efforts and that it's hard to see how Hong Kong can remain a financial hub if China takes over, so Hong Kong's economy could change, too.

All of which means the stakes are very hot, and from an economic point of view, this might well be a lose lose lose situation for China, US and Hong Kong.

For China, this is about national pride and demonstrating the government's ability to control and govern the home corners.

This is about their way of life.