Hong Kong forum highlights national security legal system development

The Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Saturday held the National Security Legal Forum, attracting around 1,000 people from all walks of life in Hong Kong.

In the forum, themed "Looking Back and Ahead, New Dawn for Development," the participants shared their insights on national security issues, including the implementation and development of the jurisprudence of the national security law in Hong Kong, as well as the "dual legislation and dual enforcement mechanism" institutional safeguard constituted along with the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

John Lee, the chief executive of the HKSAR, said Hong Kong completed the local legislation of Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law in March this year, marking an important milestone in Hong Kong's new journey from stability to prosperity.

Lee said the national security law in Hong Kong and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance will be compatible and complementary, giving full play to the institutional advantages of "dual legislation and dual enforcement mechanism," establishing institutional safeguards for maintaining security and stability and promoting good governance in Hong Kong.

He said the HKSAR government will carry on the mainstream values characterized by the love of both the motherland and Hong Kong at the core and in conformity with the principle of "One Country, Two Systems" by promoting education in national security, patriotism and Chinese culture.

Zheng Yanxiong, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, said the implementation of the "dual legislation and dual enforcement mechanism" marks a new stage of a sound system and reliable effectiveness of the rule of law in Hong Kong, and further polishes "the golden brand" of the rule of law in Hong Kong.

On the road to Hong Kong's future development, the "dual legislation and dual enforcement mechanism" will continue to play an important role in ensuring quality development with high-level security and promoting high-level security with quality development, Zheng said.

Dong Jingwei, director of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, said that only when the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance is integrated with the national security law in Hong Kong and the implementation mechanism of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR and Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR is integrated and work together, can the legal loopholes in safeguarding national security in Hong Kong be effectively plugged.

This further highlights the responsibilities of the central authorities and the HKSAR, strengthens the "dual mechanism" of the central government's jurisdiction and the HKSAR's jurisdiction, and maximizes the effect of cracking down on and punishing crimes that endanger national security in accordance with the law, Dong said.

Cui Jianchun, commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR, said the office will firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, as well as Hong Kong's unique advantages to help Hong Kong to achieve deep integration of security and development at a higher level.

China's diplomacy is poised to work with other countries to address various security risks and challenges and make unremitting efforts to build a safer and better world, Cui said.

Paul Lam, secretary for justice of the HKSAR government, said it is of crucial importance to build and reinforce the confidence of all sectors in the laws on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, which was enacted and implemented strictly in accordance with the rule of law principle and will have positive interaction with Hong Kong's future development.

In the forum, the HKSAR government officials also joined student representatives to discuss how national security is relevant to daily life and the important role of youth in safeguarding national security.

(Cover: A file photo of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. /CFP)