China has introduced a security law for Hong Kong that many fear will erode the relative freedom enjoyed by the autonomous region's population since the surrender from the United Kingdom.

"We must make the world understand that now is the time to take a stand for Hong Kong," says the 23-year-old outside a court, where he is charged with participating in 2019 democracy protests.

- They cannot ignore and put a gag on Hong Kong residents. People in Hong Kong believe in the fight for freedom, and we will never give up and give in to Beijing, he continues.

Tear up extradition agreement

One of the Western countries that has reacted strongly to China's actions in Hong Kong is Canada, which on Friday tore up its extradition agreement with Hong Kong in protest of the new law. China has condemned the Canadian move and is threatening consequences. The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa has also issued an invitation to Chinese citizens to be careful when visiting Canada.

The United Kingdom, which controlled Hong Kong until 1997, has also taken a ton. The government of London has offered a path to citizenship for the approximately three million Hong Kong residents who have the so-called British National Overseas passport, or the right to obtain one. Now China's London Ambassador Liu Xiaoming says this is a "gross interference with China's domestic affairs".

Life in prison

The harshly criticized National Security Act means that anyone who is considered guilty of overthrowing activities, separatism, terrorism or contact with foreign forces risks life imprisonment. As Beijing has previously accused the democracy movement of terrorism, activists, lawyers and journalists are worried about how the law will be applied.

The first person charged with violation of the new law - a man accused of plowing into a group of police officers with his motorcycle - was denied bail on Monday, citing the risk that he would continue to pose a threat to national security.

Over the weekend, books written by democracy activists and pro-democracy politicians were cleared out of the Hong Kong library.