China is set to make Hong Kong national security laws as a related decision was adopted at the national legislature Thursday.

Deputies to the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) attending the closing meeting of its third annual session voted overwhelmingly to approve the NPC Decision on Establishing and Improving the Legal System and Enforcement Mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to Safeguard National Security.

The move came after prolonged social unrest and escalating street violence had plunged Hong Kong into the gravest situation since its return to the motherland in 1997.

Presenting the draft to the national legislature last week, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Wang Chen said increasingly notable national security risks in Hong Kong have become a prominent problem. There are apparent “weak links” in Hong Kong’s existing legal system and enforcement mechanisms in safeguarding national security.

Considering Hong Kong’s situation at present, efforts must be made at the State level to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the SAR to safeguard national security, he said.

The decision is a major measure to perfect the “one country, two systems” principle, said Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.

Li said the decision is in accordance with China’s Constitution and Hong Kong’s Basic Law and concerns the fundamental interests of all Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots.

The NPC Standing Committee will formulate laws for Hong Kong to safeguard national security, national sovereignty and the interests of safe development.