New measures also apply to gaming centers, market stalls, and even funeral parlors.
Restaurant owners in Hong Kong, some of whom have contacted “Bitter Winter,” are worried that they may soon be forced to close due to strict enforcement of the National Security Law.
In late May, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) dispatched correspondence incorporating new clauses of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance related to national security.
The correspondence outlines that business license holders risk revocation of their licenses if they or their associated individuals—such as directors, management personnel, employees, agents, and subcontractors—partake in activities that threaten national security or undermine public interest.
Restaurant proprietors argue that it is unfeasible for them to oversee the complete range of employee behaviors and activities. Any dissent regarding the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) expressed on social media is now framed in Hong Kong as a potential violation of national security laws.
These new conditions aim to “effectively prevent any act or activity that is illegal or prejudicial to national security in licensed premises.”
In the revised food business license application form effective May 2025, it is now required for applicants to endorse a specific clause through their signature. This amendment aims to ensure compliance with updated regulatory standards. It reads as follows: “I shall ensure that no act or activity engaged or involved in by me or any of my related persons… may constitute or cause the occurrence of an offense endangering national security under the National Security Law or other laws of the HKSAR, or conduct [that] is otherwise contrary to the interests of national security or the interest of the public (including public morals, public order and/or public safety) of Hong Kong.”
And it’s not just restaurants. Other businesses like cinemas, gaming centres, funeral parlors, and saunas also must follow these national security conditions. Even stalls in Chinese New Year markets are included.
This initiative forms part of a broader strategy involving indirect mechanisms designed to suppress dissenting voices in Hong Kong.
Source: Bitter Winter
