On Monday, the Hong Kong government proposed new legislation that would empower the Chief Executive, John Lee, to classify certain criminal acts as national security offences. This initiative follows the introduction of national security laws in 2020 and 2024, which critics argue have undermined civil liberties in the city. The government claims that the new legislation aims to clarify the procedures for classifying offences related to national security without creating new criminal offences or penalties. However, legal experts express concerns that this could lead to arbitrary decisions, as the Chief Executive's determination would be binding on the courts. Simon Young, a law professor, noted the risk of the Chief Executive using secret information to label cases as national security matters, limiting defendants' ability to contest such decisions. Eric Lai from Georgetown University cautioned that this could further erode the rule of law and potentially extend to other criminal cases under the guise of national security. The government insists that the changes are necessary to safeguard Hong Kong's stability amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.