Protest in Hong Kong as China's National People's Congress starts three-day meeting

Protesters in Hong Kong were met with riot police using pepper spray on Sunday, as China's National People's Congress standing committee began a three-day meeting.

Protesters could be seen sitting on the ground, their faces covered with cloth after having been exposed to the chemical spray.

The NPC meeting raises the possibility of the enactment of the draft law for Hong Kong that has stirred debate and fears in the semi-autonomous territory.

A previous report about the meeting by the official Xinhua News Agency did not mention the legislation among several possible discussion items, it could still be on the agenda or added at the meeting.

Under the draft law, the central government would set up a national security office in Hong Kong that would collect and analyze intelligence and deal with criminal cases related to national security.

Hong Kong police and courts would maintain jurisdiction over cases, but the law would allow an exception for Chinese authorities to exercise jurisdiction over "a tiny number of criminal cases ... under specific circumstances," according to a Xinhua report.

It did not provide any details on what those circumstances might be, heightening fears that the central government is tightening its grip on Hong Kong after months of anti-government protests last year.

The draft says the new security law would prevail if local Hong Kong laws are inconsistent with it, Xinhua said.

It would require the Hong Kong government to create a national security commission supervised by the central government. Beijing would also appoint a national security adviser for the city.

The proposed law has raised concerns and drawn criticism internationally.

On Thursday U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein joined a group of former U.N. rights experts warning of a potential “humanitarian tragedy” linked to the security law on Hong Kong.