China's parliament on Thursday approved a new controversial security law for Hong Kong, a move that critics say threatens the fundamental political freedoms and civil liberties in the semi-autonomous territory. China's annual political season, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic ended on Thursday with its parliament, much on the expected lines endorsed the new security law for Hong Kong.

The country's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), nearly unanimously approved the resolution to introduce the sweeping security legislation, which bans secession, subversion of state power, terrorism, foreign intervention and allows mainland China's state security agencies to operate in the gleaming city. Only one delegate voted against the proposal, while 2,878 voted for and six abstained, the official media reported.