The political system of Hong Kong is now almost no different from a city in mainland China, after the ruling Communist Party’s overhaul threatened the free business climate guaranteed by its separate judicial system, a report by the Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) says. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-imposed national security law (NSL) has chipped away at the city’s core values of democracy, freedom, and human rights. Now, the one country, two systems policy has a “mere nominal existence,” according to the report (pdf) released in July. The NSL was passed by China’s rubber-stamp legislature on June 30, 2020. The law criminalizes four broadly defined categories of offenses including: secession, subversion, and collusion with a foreign country. Persons found guilty of violating this law can face up to life in prison. In addition, cases can be adjudicated in mainland China and the law applies to anyone, anywhere in the world. “The …