HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government said on Sunday that it will strengthen its work in safeguarding national security to ensure stability, good governance and the development of a vibrant economy for the city.

Marking the fourth anniversary of the implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong, an HKSAR government spokesman said that, with the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance also taking effect upon gazettal on March 23 this year, the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security in the city have been improved.

"Since the implementation of the NSL, Hong Kong society has rapidly restored stability. Furthermore, with the SNSO now in effect, national security is protected even more effectively,” the spokesman said.

The HKSAR government is steadfast in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, fully and faithfully upholding the highest principle of 'one country, two systems', while protecting the legal interests, rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents, a spokesman said

“Hong Kong's rise in world competitiveness rankings to be among the world's top economies is the best testament to the fact that high-level security protection would underpin high-quality development,” he added.

But given the increasingly complicated geopolitical situation, the spokesman said Hong Kong still faces ever-changing risks to national security. 

"External forces, people with ulterior motive, and anti-China and destabilizing individuals who have absconded overseas continue to smear the situation of the HKSAR, attempting to interfere in fair trials of the court and undermine Hong Kong's prosperity and stability,” he said.

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The spokesman said the HKSAR government is steadfast in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, fully and faithfully upholding the highest principle of "one country, two systems", while protecting the legal interests, rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents.

“It will resolutely safeguard the overall interest of the community and the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, ensuring the steadfast and successful implementation of 'one country, two systems'," he added.

The spokesman said that the HKSAR had long been "defenseless" in terms of national security, allowing external forces and anti-China disruptors to take advantage.

He noted that the "anti-national education" incident in 2012, the illegal "Occupy Central" movement in 2014, the Mong Kok riot in 2016 and the "black-clad violence" and Hong Kong version of "color revolution" in 2019 caused the public to live in fear.

“They also sought to destroy the HKSAR's rule of law, public order and political system, seriously endangering national security,” the spokesman said.

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“Thanks to the decisive act of the central authorities in enacting the NSL, which was then promulgated for implementation by the HKSAR in 2020, these shortcomings were addressed and the loopholes in the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security were plugged,” he added.

The spokesman said that the effect of the NSL was immediate, transforming Hong Kong society from chaos to order and allowing people's livelihoods and economic activities to return to normal.

He said the NSL and the SNSO are compatible and complementary, jointly establishing a comprehensive and effective legal system for safeguarding national security.

“This 'dual legislation and dual enforcement mechanism' gives full play to institutional advantages, building a strong line of defense to maintain security and stability in the HKSAR, as well as providing solid institutional safeguards to promote good governance," he added.