National security law reinforces foundation of 'one country, two systems': various sectors of Hong Kong

HONG KONG - As the national security law in Hong Kong has come into force for a year, various sectors of the financial hub agreed that the law has been effective in bringing back peace and order and reinforcing the foundation of "one country, two systems."

John Lee, chief secretary for administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, has highlighted the effectiveness of the law and said it is the common responsibility of the entire HKSAR to fend off acts and activities endangering national security.

Echoing Lee's words, Lau Siu-kai, vice president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said the Hong Kong society has quickly returned to peace and the national security law as a deterrent to illegal activities has largely met expectations.

The implementation of the national security law has created favorable conditions for Hong Kong to solve development problems, said Gao Jingde, president of the Association of Chinese Culture of Hong Kong, while calling on the HKSAR government and various sectors to focus on development.

Cheung Hok-sau, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), described the national security law as a milestone in the cause of "one country, two systems."

With a better development environment and an improving political system, Hong Kong will have a brighter future, he said.

The national security law closes loopholes, Lawrence Ma, chairman of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation, said, adding that the law was enacted at the right time.

Yip Kin-ming, executive vice president of the Hong Kong Island Federation, said it should be a priority of the HKSAR government to reinforce the positive changes brought by the national security law and the improvement of the electoral system.

Yip stressed efforts to push forward legal proceedings of national security cases and crackdown on homegrown terrorism as well.

Over the past year, the national security law has frustrated plots of instigators of Hong Kong riots and foreign forces, Chan Chi-Ho, vice executive chairman of the Hong Kong CPPCC Youth Association, said.

Chan said the law has proved to offer a guarantee to Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and the facts have removed people's worries about the law.

According to a survey by local think-tank Bauhinia Institute, more than 70 percent of residents were satisfied with the effectiveness of the national security law and said the law improved their confidence in the implementation of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong.