Hong Kong arrests first person under newly imposed national security law

Police in Hong Kong said Wednesday that they issued their first arrest in accordance with the recently-passed national security law that ended some of Hong Kong's judicial independence and reverts much of the financial center's autonomy back to Beijing.

The new law states that an individual who acts with the intention of "undermining national unification" between Hong Kong and mainland China, could face a punishment of up to a lifetime in prison.

Under the new policy, many of Hong Kong's protests that took place last year would constitute offenses punishable by law.

Despite the new law, demonstrators took the streets on Wednesday, which marks the 23rd anniversary of the city's return from British rule to Chinese rule. Protestors chanted slogan that included, "Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong."

Hong Kong police later announced that they'd arrested more than 70 people for participating in the unauthorized assemblies, including two people who were suspected of breaking the new national security law.

Chinese officials continue to refute the claim that the new law targets pro-democracy protestors and undermines the nation's "one country, two systems" that applied to Hong Kong. 

"The ‘one country two systems’ has already spoken volumes of the political tolerance of the central (government)," said Zhang Xiaoming, the executive deputy director of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. “People with different views, they may continue to exist for a long time in Hong Kong ... You should not use this (difference in views) as a pretext to ... turn Hong Kong into a safe haven of anti-China forces."