Hong Kong police chief vows vigilance against lingering national security threats
Hong Kong's police chief has pledged vigilance against lingering threats of external interference, home-grown terrorism and 'soft resistance', five years after the Beijing-imposed
national security law was promulgated.
Advertisement
Commissioner of Police Joe Chow Yat-ming said that while Hong Kong had returned to a state of stability in recent years, 'undercurrents' remained that required the force to boost its intelligence-gathering and law enforcement efforts.
'Now we are talking about how to advance from stability to prosperity … there is no room for complacency. There are still undercurrents that we have to be vigilant at all times,' he said in an interview marking the coming fifth anniversary of the law's implementation.
The legislation was promulgated on June 30, 2020, and outlaws secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
The police chief said the United States was among several Western governments that still sought to use Hong Kong as a means of 'targeting' mainland China.
Advertisement
'For example, by enforcing so-called sanctions against Hong Kong and mainland government officials, or by threatening to close our Economic and Trade Offices, also the cancellation of preferential trade treatment,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Embassy urges Chinese in Iran to stay alert after Israeli airstrikes, explosions
The Chinese embassy in Tehran called Iran's latest security situation 'severe and complicated' following Israel's military strikes early on Friday, while also warning its citizens and businesses to monitor the situation and take precautions. 'The … embassy in Iran reminds Chinese citizens and businesses in the country to closely monitor the situation, enhance their safety awareness, and strengthen security measures,' it said in a statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that Israel conducted strikes on nuclear targets in Iran, saying the operation was expected to continue for several days. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the United States was not involved in the strikes carried out by Israel against Iran. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the chief of the joint staff of Iran's armed forces, was reportedly killed in the opening strikes. Advertisement
HKFP
2 hours ago
- HKFP
Over 920,000 reports made to national security hotline in past 4 years, Hong Kong security chief says
Hong Kong police's national security hotline received over 920,000 reports over the past four years, security chief Chris Tang has said. Speaking at a ceremony on Thursday to mark five years since the Beijing-imposed national security law was enacted, Tang said Hongkongers 'cannot relax or be complacent.' 'The SAR government has done a lot of work, including strengthening law enforcement…' Tang said in Cantonese on Thursday. 'More importantly, we need the support of all citizens,' he said. The hotline was established by national security police in November 2020, four months after Beijing imposed national security legislation in Hong Kong following the anti-extradition protests and unrest. Tang said since the national security law took effect, police have arrested 326 people over offences related to national security. Among them, 165 people have been convicted. The security law 'filled a gap in Hong Kong's legal system to safeguard national security,' but 'hostile forces continue to seek opportunities to harm our country and the SAR, ' he said. In an interview published by state-backed media outlet Wen Wei Po on Thursday, Tang said in Cantonese that 'the work of safeguarding national security is only ongoing, with no end in sight.' Tang added that Hong Kong authorities closely cooperate with mainland Chinese authorities in safeguarding national security. 'Truth' of 2019 protests Thursday's ceremony also saw the opening of an exhibition marking the fifth anniversary of the national security law's implementation. Located in the Hong Kong Museum of History, the exhibition features the 2019 protests and unrest, as well as laws and regulations related to national security. Paul Lam, the city's justice minister, said during the ceremony that the exhibition shows the 'historical truth' of the 2019 protests, and is a 'vivid demonstration' of the importance of safeguarding national security. HKFP saw on Thursday afternoon that the entrance of the exhibition hall was decorated with the names of various social movements in Hong Kong. A short film on the 2019 protests and unrest was also being screened. Protests erupted in June 2019 over a since-axed extradition bill. They escalated into sometimes violent displays of dissent against police behaviour, amid calls for democracy and anger over Beijing's encroachment. Demonstrators demanded an independent probe into police conduct, amnesty for those arrested and a halt to the characterisation of protests as 'riots.' Some have criticised Hong Kong authorities' characterisation of the 2019 protests as 'black-clad violence,' 'colour revolution,' and 'insurrection,' and accused the government of using the movement to justify new security legislation.
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong primary schools to enhance national security focus in revised English curriculum
Hong Kong primary schools will be required to enhance their patriotic and national security education as part of a revised curriculum guide for the English language subject. The previous version of the guide encouraged English teachers to allow students to explore topics related to human rights and equal opportunities. However, these topics have now been replaced with themes such as respect for others, animal rights and environmental protection. The Education Bureau on Tuesday released the 'English Language Education Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide for Primary One to Primary Six', eight years after the previous edition was announced. The change means there is now a stand-alone guide for primary schools. 'While the curriculum framework for English language education remains unchanged, updates have been made to each chapter to reflect developments over the years,' the bureau said in the circular, which was sent to the 507 local primary schools. It highlighted four major areas that were updated – values education, assessment literacy, e-learning and information literacy and reading. 'In addition to developing students' language skills, values education should be promoted in the school English-language curriculum as it is essential for fostering students' whole-person development,' it said. Hong Kong students should sing national anthem 'with emotion', says education chief Authorities introduced national security education to boost patriotism among students after the social unrest in 2019. The South China Morning Post has compared the previous edition with the latest guide and found that the bureau has added 'strengthening values education, covering national education including patriotic education, national security education, and life education' as one of the initiatives to enhance students' learning experience. 'To help students become informed and responsible citizens with a sense of national identity and an awareness of national security, relevant themes, topics and everyday life events can be identified,' it said. Under the chapter introducing 'proper values and attitudes' in the curriculum, it stated what should be taught to students in English language learning. 'National education, constitution and Basic Law education and national security education are all essential for helping students develop into good nationals who have a sense of national identity, respect the rule of law and abide by the law, hence safeguarding national security,' it said. The previous guide, published in 2017, stated that students could be provided with opportunities to explore a wealth of value-laden issues, such as human rights and responsibilities, sustainability, and equal opportunities, thereby deepening their understanding of positive values and attitudes from multiple perspectives. But the issues of human rights and equal opportunities have been deleted in the latest guide, with authorities replacing them with 'respect for others, animal rights and protection, and environmental protection'. Hong Kong authorities introduced national security education to boost patriotism among students after the social unrest in 2019. Photo: Eugene Lee In the old guide, the 'rule of law, cultural inclusion, respect for pluralism, mutual respect and acceptance' were cited as examples that could be integrated into the curriculum, but they are not mentioned in the new one. A teaching example related to food is cited to raise students' awareness of the importance of safeguarding national security and cultivate in students 'a sense of belonging to the country, an affection for the nation and a sense of national identity'. It said students should read an article about Yuan Longping, known as the 'father of hybrid rice' for developing the world's first crossbred rice varieties in the 1970s, to understand his contributions to boosting grain harvests. The new guide also reminded English teachers to use photos rather than drawing the national and Hong Kong flags and emblems when using them in their teaching resources. Veteran English teacher Pauline Chow Lo-sai said educators might need more help from the bureau in designing learning materials if it wanted to foster awareness of national security among students. 'National security is a big topic,' she said, adding that schools still relied on textbooks for teaching English. 'It would be good to offer schools more similar samples if the bureau wants to foster awareness of national security among students in English lessons.'
