HK political figures back national security efforts

Hong Kong political figures expressed firm support for the city to ramp up efforts in defending against national security risks.

They noted that it is the city's constitutional obligation and also the precondition of smooth development.

Their remarks came after Luo Huining, the central government's top liaison official in Hong Kong, pledged on Thursday's National Security Education Day that the central government will fully support the city to lawfully crack down on national security offenses and counter foreign intervention.

Brave Chan Yung, Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature, said although the National Security Law has restored the city's social order, national security risks still exist, with disruptive activities shifting toward a softer and more flexible manner.

He cited the example that some people have recently been encouraging voters to cast blank ballots in elections after the city starts practicing electoral improvements.

Noting such confrontational measures are of greater difficulty to deal with, Chan cautioned that Hong Kong really needs to raise alerts and strictly prevent and crack down on related offenses.

Yiu Chi-shing, a Hong Kong member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the sharp contrast before and after the implementation of the National Security Law clearly demonstrated that only by safeguarding national security can social stability and development be guaranteed.

He stressed that Hong Kong society should understand the significance of national security and actively fulfill its statutory obligation to safeguard it.

He also encouraged local residents to cooperate with the government's endeavor to protect political security with the electoral revamp, and to support it to regulate disruptive activities by secessionist and foreign forces.

Another NPC deputy, Maggie Chan Man-ki, who is also a law expert, noted that Hong Kong is now equipped with robust laws and mechanisms to safeguard national security.

She hopes the authorities could better take advantage of them to prevent the city from degenerating into a pawn for external forces to contain China.