Lam vows to strengthen national security in HK

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Friday vowed to double down efforts to strengthen the implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong and improve the legal system for safeguarding it in a bid to live up to the expectation of the central government.

After attending a high-level seminar on the effects and outlook of the national security law, Lam told reporters that the special administrative region will strictly carry out prosecution and law enforcement of national security cases, actively prepare for the local legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong, as well as strengthen regulation of schools and media to control national security risks, and boost the education of the national security law.

Lam also pledged to make every effort to hold the three upcoming elections, which will involve the city's chief executive, legislators, and Election Committee members, smoothly.

Hong Kong cannot ignore any risks of national security and be the weak link of the national security – a lesson that Hong Kong community learned from the social unrest in 2019, Lam said.

The seminar was simultaneously held in Beijing, Hong Kong and Macao. It was reported that about 300 guests attended the event, including senior officials from the central government and the SAR government, Hong Kong members of the national legislators and political advisers, and various political and legal scholars.

Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, delivered a speech at the seminar.

During the one-hour speech, Xia said the National Security Law for Hong Kong has an "immediate" effect on cracking down activities that endanger the national security.

Xia expressed his gratitude toward the efforts of Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR in the implementation of the law, and also thought highly of the Hong Kong Police Force, Lam said.