Central govt: White paper on HKSAR provides guidance for safeguarding national security

A white paper released by China's State Council Information Office on Hong Kong provides guidance for advancing Hong Kong's national security work, the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said on Tuesday.

The State Council Information Office on Tuesday released a white paper titled "Hong Kong: Safeguarding China's National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems."

A spokesperson for the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR said that the white paper provides a comprehensive review of Hong Kong's extraordinary journey in safeguarding national security, clearly articulates the Central Government's firm principles in upholding national security and defending the "One Country, Two Systems" framework, and thoroughly summarizes the experiences of Hong Kong in safeguarding national security under the principle of "One Country, Two Systems."

It points out the directions for further promoting Hong Kong's work in safeguarding national security and injects strong impetus into further consolidating the consensus on safeguarding the high-quality development of the "One Country, Two Systems" cause with high-level security, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson pointed out that Hong Kong's struggle to safeguard national security has never ceased, and the Central Government has always placed the safeguarding of national security in an important position when dealing with Hong Kong-related issues. For a long period after Hong Kong's return to the motherland, under the manipulation of external hostile forces and anti-China disruptors, legislation under Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law was repeatedly delayed. As a result, Hong Kong's national security remained undefended, providing opportunities for internal and external hostile forces to orchestrate a series of anti-China, destabilizing activities.

The spokesperson said that the enactment of the national security law in Hong Kong effectively closed the legal loopholes in safeguarding national security in the city. Its institutional design reflects full respect for and strong confidence in the high degree of autonomy of the HKSAR, represents the Central Government's commitment to and improvement of the "One Country, Two Systems" framework, and has gained broad recognition across Hong Kong society.

The spokesperson said that more than five years after the enactment of the national security law in Hong Kong, its effectiveness has been fully demonstrated. Key anti-China disruptors have been convicted and sentenced, external interference has been firmly countered, and hostile forces can no longer act with impunity. Hong Kong's efforts to safeguard national security have achieved historic progress and transformation, with the nation's sovereignty, security and development interests strongly protected.

The spokesperson pointed out that national security falls under the authority of the Central Government, which bears the fundamental responsibility for national security affairs related to the HKSAR. The national security law in Hong Kong established enforcement mechanisms at both the Central and HKSAR levels for safeguarding national security. The Central Government supports the HKSAR in earnestly fulfilling its constitutional responsibility to safeguard national security.

Since the promulgation and implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong, the HKSAR's executive, legislative and judicial bodies have each performed their duties, continuously strengthening the legal safeguards for national security in Hong Kong. The Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR and the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR have worked in synergy, effectively safeguarding national security.

The spokesperson emphasized that safeguarding national security is a crucial foundation for ensuring the steady and long-term success of the practice of "One Country, Two Systems." The authority of the national security law in Hong Kong must not be challenged, and Hong Kong's just actions and rule of law practice in safeguarding national security must not be subject to interference or intervention by any external forces.

The spokesperson said that Hong Kong is still facing a grave and complex situation in safeguarding national security. The Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR will, as always, firmly perform its duties in accordance with the law, fully support the HKSAR in comprehensively and accurately implementing the national security law in Hong Kong, resolutely prevent and combat external interference and sabotage, and effectively consolidate the hard-won positive situation in Hong Kong.