Shen Chunyao, director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, speaks during a press conference held by the State Council Information Office about the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Beijing, capital of China, July 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

BEIJING -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) should complete on its own national security legislation stipulated by Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law as soon as possible, a senior legislator said Wednesday.

"Neither the decision by the National People's Congress (NPC) nor the law adopted by the NPC Standing Committee can substitute the relevant legislation as stipulated by Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law," Shen Chunyao, head of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, told a press conference.

The NPC decision on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security and the newly adopted law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR both explicitly require the HKSAR to complete national security legislation, as stipulated in the HKSAR Basic Law, and improve relevant laws, Shen said.

Establishing and improving the legal system for safeguarding national security at the HKSAR level is not limited to the legislation stipulated by Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law, as some local laws in force in the HKSAR are also related to national security, he said.

"Any national security-related legislation and its implementation should not be inconsistent with the NPC decision or the new law adopted by the NPC Standing Committee," Shen added.