Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), was appointed Chairwoman of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR, according to the spokesperson of the HKSAR government on Friday.

On the same day, Lau Chi-wai was sworn in as deputy commissioner of police in charge of the department for safeguarding national security of the Hong Kong Police Force. She also became a member of the National Security Committee of the HKSAR.

According to Lam, Lau is an experienced officer who joined the Hong Kong Police Force in 1984. Lam said she has full confidence in Lau's capabilities of safeguarding national security in her new position.

Lam also released the member list of the newly established National Security Committee of the HKSAR. Others under the organizational chart include the HKSAR's chief secretary for administration, financial secretary, secretary for justice, secretary for security and police commissioner.

Chan Kwok-ki was appointed as secretary-general of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

Earlier, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Luo Huining was designated as the national security adviser of the committee, based on the Article 15 of the national security law for the HKSAR.

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The committee was set up as per the national security law for the HKSAR which was passed unanimously on Tuesday at the 20th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) and was listed in Annex III to the HKSAR Basic Law.

Responsibilities of the committee include analyzing and assessing developments in relation to safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, advancing the development of the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security and coordinating major work and important operations for safeguarding national security in the HKSAR.

According to the spokesperson, the committee is going to hold meetings later to discuss advancing the national security work in the HKSAR.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: File photo via HKSAR government)