; (8) freedom of emigration to other countries and regions; (9) freedom of conscience; and (10) the right to institute legal proceedings in the courts against the acts of the executive authorities and their personnel; Whereas the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China has inserted a national security law directly into Annex III of the Basic Law of Hong Kong, and said national security law is purportedly intended to prevent and punish acts of separating the country, subverting state power, and organizing terroristic activities ; Whereas said action is a flagrant violation of Hong Kong’s autonomy and rule of law in that Article 18 of the Basic Law provides that laws included in Annex III are confined to those relating to defense and foreign affairs as well as other matters outside the limits of the autonomy of the Region as specified by this Law ; Whereas Article 23 further specifies that [Hong Kong] shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People’s Government ; Whereas through a similar abuse of Annex III of the Basic Law of Hong Kong, the Government of the People’s Republic of China caused the adoption of the National Anthem Law in Hong Kong, which curtails the freedom of speech and carries a maximum sentence of 3 years, mirroring the extent of sentence under the People’s Republic of China Criminal Law; Whereas the Chinese Government’s repeated and heavy-handed actions to undermine the rule of law in Hong Kong and Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy will only further escalate the ongoing protests, jeopardizing Hong Kong’s future as an open and prosperous international city; and Whereas the imposition of this national security legislation, which undermines the established rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents provided in the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, would constitute a violation of commitments made by the People’s Republic of China under international law: Now, therefore, be it