China's plan to impose security laws violated international obligations to Hong Kong, according to joint statements from the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia.

The US, Britain, Canada and Australia today issued a joint statement "expressing deep concern about mainland China's decision to impose a new security law on Hong Kong." Hong Kong once thrived as a fortress.

According to the statement, the new law will "reduce Hong Kong's freedom, significantly undermine Hong Kong's autonomy as well as the regime that makes the city prosper."

These four countries said that while the world focused on the global pandemic, requiring increased trust in government and international cooperation, Beijing's unprecedented risk-taking action had the opposite effect.

"We are also extremely concerned that this action will worsen the deep divisions existing in Hong Kong society," the statement added.

The joint statement was issued by four Western nations after the National Assembly of China (NPC) today passed "Resolution on the Establishment, Improvement of the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanism for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The British government today also expressed deep concern over the Hong Kong security bill.

The National Assembly Standing Committee is authorized to draft the detailed terms of the security bill.

The expansion of the bill covers both individuals and organizations in Hong Kong, raising concerns about the fate of the "one-country, two-regime" policy, as well as the special trade position that the US

"The steps taken by the Chinese government threaten directly to the Sino-British joint declaration," the British Prime Minister added, referring to the 1984 agreement between Britain and China that the level of autonomy was high.

The United States, Britain, Japan, Canada, Australia, and the EU have also voiced concerns about Hong Kong's security bill, calling on China to respect Hong Kong's rights, freedoms and high autonomy.