UPDATE: Central govt's natl security office in HK inaugurated, hailed as 'envoy, gatekeeper' for security
Global Times
By Chen Qingqing Source:Global Times Published: 2020/7/8 7:38:07 Last Updated: 2020/7/8 18:16:37
The central government's office for safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was inaugurated on Wednesday morning.
The office is located at Metropark Hotel Causeway Bay, Hong Kong Island, according to news site hk.on.cc.
During the inauguration ceremony, the central government's liaison office director in the HKSAR Luo Huining hailed the office as an "envoy for safeguarding Hong Kong" and "gatekeeper of national security."
During the ceremony, Zheng Yanxiong, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Guangdong Provincial Committee, who was appointed to lead the office, along with Li Jiangzhou and Sun Qingye, the two deputy heads of the new office, made a public appearance for the first time since their appointments were announced, according to live-streamed footage.
HKSAR chief executive Carrie Lam, former CE Leung Chun-ying and Commissioner of Police Tang Ping-keung, also attended the ceremony.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, who is a member of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR, told the Global Times on Wednesday that "this is a milestone moment for Hong Kong since the city returned to the motherland."
"After the national security law for Hong Kong was enacted, the loophole in the legal mechanism for safeguarding national security has been fixed. We're very excited and touched by the inauguration of the office," Chan said.
It also means that Hong Kong society is going back to normal after a yearlong social turmoil. The inauguration of the office is very important for the city as a major international financial hub and business center, the official noted.
Now that the central government's office for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong is inaugurated, implementation rules of Article 53 and Article 55 of the national security law for Hong Kong are expected to be unveiled soon, according to experts.
With the passage of the law on safeguarding national security for Hong Kong, the office of the central people's government for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong has the jurisdiction over cases related to national security in the HKSAR, which is beyond the administration of the HKSAR government.
Article 55 of the national security law for Hong Kong also clarifies situations when the central government's office for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong can exercise jurisdiction over a case concerning offence endangering national security under the law.
The office will fulfill the central government's ultimate responsibility on national security matters in the city, and will work with existing central government institutions in Hong Kong.
Setting up this office in Hong Kong is a major step for the central government to fulfill its fundamental responsibilities for safeguarding national security, which is a matter for the top authority, Luo Huining, who is also national security advisor to the HKSAR committee for safeguarding national security, said during the inauguration ceremony.
The office will perform its duties strictly in accordance with the law and accept supervision in accordance with the law, and will not infringe on the legitimate rights and interests of any individual or organization, Luo said.
Li Jiangzhou is an official from the Ministry of Public Security who was mainly responsible for domestic security operations and specialized in collecting intelligence, while Sun Qingye is from the Ministry of State Security (MSS), according to several sources.
A national emblem has been hung outside the hotel, while a national flag-raising ceremony was held at the inauguration ceremony at around 7 am, during which Lam gave a speech.
While the relevant staff of the office are getting ready for future work in Hong Kong, the implementation rules of Article 53 and those of Article 55 will be further stipulated to clarify law enforcement procedures and standards, Tian Feilong, a Hong Kong affairs expert and associate professor at Beihang University in Beijing, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
The office will only exercise jurisdiction when a case is complex due to interference of foreign forces, in a severe situation when the HKSAR government is unable to effectively enforce the law, or there is a major and imminent threat, according to Article 55 of the national security law.
"There will be more detailed elaboration on that to make Hong Kong and the international community understand that this office handles cases in accordance to the law while fully protecting human rights," Tian said.
The office was established in accordance with the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, which was adopted by China's top legislature and promulgated in the HKSAR on June 30.
According to the national security law, the office analyzes and assesses developments related to safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, provides opinions and makes proposals on major strategies and important policies, and oversees, guides, coordinates with and supports the HKSAR in assuming the duties for safeguarding national security.
The office also collects and analyzes intelligence and information about national security and handles cases on offenses endangering national security.
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