Hong Kong's national security arrests ‘make up 0.2% of wider annual police tally'
The average number of people apprehended in Hong Kong annually over national security-related offences only made up 0.2 per cent of police arrests each year, the city's leader has said, arguing that the relevant legislation has achieved its aim of targeting a small minority.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the force had made 332 arrests in connection with such offences since Beijing's promulgation of the national security law in 2020.
At a media briefing before his weekly Executive Council meeting on Tuesday, he noted that the figure amounted to 66 arrests a year, just 0.2 per cent of police's annual average of about 30,000 arrests for all criminal offences.
'It's really a small portion. When we promulgated the Hong Kong national security law, we made it very clear that the law is aimed at only a small portion of people who endanger national security. This figure reinforces that clear message.'
Police last year made 36,369 arrests for various criminal offences, a 6.3 per cent increase from the 34,135 recorded in 2023.
The Beijing-imposed national security law, which criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, will have been in force for five years by the end of this month.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
30 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
Israel-Iran conflict is latest test for China and a problematic dance partner
Israel's war with Iran has escalated sharply, plunging the volatile Middle East into deeper turmoil in an era of rising conflicts. Alongside Russia's grinding invasion of Ukraine and Pakistan's recent clash with India , the crises, compounded by tensions on the Korean peninsula as well as in the South China Sea and Taiwan, have placed Beijing in a precarious position. Though not directly involved, Beijing is far from a mere bystander. Its close ties with Russia, Iran, Pakistan and North Korea position it uncomfortably near the centre of global tensions, challenging its self-proclaimed role as a neutral mediator, testing its ability to balance geopolitics with domestic priorities, and highlighting the complexities facing a rising superpower. Play China, which remains Iran's largest energy buyer, reacted swiftly to Israel's air strikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets on Friday. China's UN ambassador, Fu Cong , echoed the stance at a UN Security Council meeting requested by Iran just hours after the strikes, which killed senior Iranian military officials and civilians. Along with Russia, he framed Israel as the aggressor, urging it to 'immediately cease all military adventurism and avoid further escalating tensions', while voicing support for Iran's right to self-defence. He did not mention Tehran's nuclear advancements and its non-compliance with International Atomic Energy Agency regulations. During calls with Iranian and Israeli foreign ministers the next day, top diplomat Wang Yi condemned the surprise attack as a 'gross violation' of Iran's sovereignty and a breach of the United Nations Charter, warning of the 'dangerous precedent' it set for strikes on nuclear sites. Amid the heightened tensions, China's embassy in Israel issued a safety advisory on Monday, offering evacuation guidance to up to 3,000 Chinese nationals in the country. The Chinese mission in Iran had yet to take a similar step despite Iran's involvement in the widening war.
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
China warns against separatism moves ahead of Dalai Lama's expected succession decree
China's top security official has called for the defeat of 'separatism' as he inspected northwestern Qinghai province, birthplace of the exiled Dalai Lama , three weeks before the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader is expected to announce his succession plan During a three-day inspection tour that ended on Sunday, Chen Wenqing, secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission and a member of the 24-strong Politburo, said political and legal bodies must fully understand Qinghai's unique geopolitical position. 'Qinghai is a strategic stronghold for maintaining stability in Xinjiang and Tibet,' Chen said, reiterating the words of Xi Jinping when the Chinese president visited in 2021. 'It is of great importance to safeguard the security and stability of Qinghai.' 02:45 Tibetans in exile march in solidarity with Dalai Lama in India Tibetans in exile march in solidarity with Dalai Lama in India Beyond the Tibet autonomous region, there are 10 Tibetan autonomous prefectures across Yunnan, Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces. Although he was born in Qinghai, the 14th Dalai Lama has lived in exile in India since 1959 after a failed uprising. Chen's tour included visits to key security sites, patrols of sensitive locations and field visits to religious and cultural institutions in Xining, according to Xinhua on Sunday. He attended a symposium on maintaining stability and anti-separatism efforts related to Tibet while in Xining. There, he issued instructions regarding the security and stability of Tibetan-involved prefectures and counties across Tibet and four other provinces. Chen asked political and legal organs in Qinghai to 'lawfully manage ethnic and religious affairs, enhance emergency preparedness, ensure safety and stability during major events, important periods and sensitive key points, and resolutely win the fight against separatism related to Tibet,' Xinhua said. Chen's inspection tour comes three weeks before the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday on July 6. The spiritual leader has hinted that during the occasion he will reveal his preferred method for selecting his successor.
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia's US$1.5 billion stimulus package faces uphill battle to revive economy
Indonesia 's latest US$1.5 billion stimulus package may fall short of reviving sluggish household spending or propelling the government's ambitious 8 per cent growth target, analysts have warned. Southeast Asia's biggest economy posted only a 4.87 per cent year-on-year growth in the first quarter this year. The momentum of Islam's holy month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, which fell within the period, could not lift public spending , an anomaly that has sparked concerns among officials. In response, President Prabowo Subianto 's administration earlier this month rolled out a 24.4 trillion rupiah (US$1.5 billion) stimulus package aimed at lifting consumer spending during the school holidays in June and July. 'The president decided to launch the stimulus package to maintain the momentum of economic growth while strengthening domestic resilience to global pressures,' finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on June 2. 'We hope that in the second quarter, economic growth can be close to 5 per cent.' A produce seller serves a customer at a traditional market in Depok, Indonesia. The new stimulus includes rice and staple food aid for 18.3 million poor families. Photo: EPA-EFE The government would finance 23.59 trillion rupiah of the two-month package, with the remainder contributed by the private sector, she added.
