Month: April 2026

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

To mark National Security Education Day, the Department of Justice (DoJ) today held the National Security Legal Forum on the theme of the White Paper titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”.

The forum invited renowned legal experts, academics and representatives from different sectors to discuss Hong Kong’s endeavours in safeguarding national security as well as the experience and insights gained in the process.

The goal is to deepen the awareness and correct understanding of all sectors of the community on the city’s role in safeguarding national security, actively fulfil the practical requirements of the white paper and to achieve high-quality development of the “one country, two systems” policy under the auspices of high-standard security.

      

Delivering his opening remarks, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said that the white paper not only reviews Hong Kong’s endeavours in safeguarding national security and the experiences and insights gained in the process, but also sets out six fundamental principles in building high-standard security in order to support the high-quality development of Hong Kong.

Mr Lam said that Hong Kong does not pursue “absolute security” or “generalised security” in safeguarding national security, but rather “relative security,” which is also the definition of national security in the country’s national security laws. 

He noted that the white paper states that Hong Kong should follow a holistic approach to development and security, and achieve a dynamic balance between the two; safeguard security with greater openness; respect and ensure human rights; safeguard security under the rule of law, especially with the judicial authorities exercising adjudicative power independently and free from any interference in trying cases pertaining to national security in accordance with the law.

      

Mr Lam stated that national security, like air and sunshine, is something without which one cannot survive, yet too often, mistakenly, is taken for granted. 

To arouse the awareness and vigilance of people in this respect and provide them with a proper and sufficient understanding of the fundamental principles that Hong Kong follows in safeguarding national security, he urged various sectors of the community to study the white paper carefully.

      

This year’s forum invited the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies Vice President and Professor of the Tsinghua University School of Law Prof Wang Zhenmin to deliver a keynote speech to share his insights on the main content and principles of the white paper.

Two panel discussions followed, beginning with the first titled “Clearing up confusion and misunderstandings – Hong Kong’s endeavours in safeguarding national security”. 

Speakers from the legal sector reviewed the development of Hong Kong’s laws for safeguarding national security, discussed relevant judicial cases, and conducted a comparative study and analysis of the relevant national security cases and laws in other countries, demonstrating Hong Kong’s consistent adherence to the rule of law and respect for and protection of human rights in implementing national security laws.

      

The second panel discussion – featuring a member of the Committee for the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, an esteemed leader of the local business sector, and a Rule of Law Education (ROLE) ambassador under the DoJ’s ROLE Stars Train-the-Leaders Programme – explored how Hong Kong can achieve a dynamic balance between development and security, and how promoting national security education can build social consensus to safeguard the steady and long-term implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle with high-standard security.

      

Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan, in his closing remarks said that the white paper has significant guiding value to Hong Kong. He pointed out that the white paper reminded people once again that Hong Kong has the constitutional responsibility of effectively safeguarding national security, and that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and all sectors of the community should proactively implement the practical requirements of the white paper.

He noted that speakers of the two panel discussions conducted in-depth discussions from various perspectives on issues such as the development of Hong Kong’s laws for safeguarding national security, and how to achieve a dynamic balance between development and safeguarding national security. 

The discussions provided an excellent starting point for the participants to understand the essential requirements of the white paper, Mr Cheung added.

Citing the white paper, Mr Cheung said that safeguarding national security is a responsibility shared by all members of society. Everyone is a stakeholder and beneficiary, and no one can be a mere spectator. He expressed hope that the forum today would further enhance public awareness of safeguarding national security and enrich public understanding of the importance of the white paper, and encouraged the community to cherish today’s safe and stable environment.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Security Bureau (SB) and its disciplined services and auxiliary services held a flag-raising ceremony, a national security knowledge challenge and other activities to mark the National Security Education Day today.

The SB and its disciplined services jointly held a flag-raising ceremony at the Police College this morning.

Officiating at the ceremony, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki said the theme of this year’s National Security Education Day, “Proactively Align with the 15th Five-Year Plan Follow a Holistic Approach to Development and Security”, aimed to remind Hong Kong to better integrate into and serve the overall national development, and to contribute Hong Kong’s strengths and commitment to the journey of the country’s modernisation.

He noted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will spare no effort to strengthen its capability in law enforcement and co-ordination, deepen national security education, and adhere to the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong”, so as to prevent and neutralise security risks.

Mr Chan then officiated at the Safeguarding National Security Cup awards presentation ceremony to commend the contestants of the SB, disciplined services and auxiliary services for holding sports competitions, which showcased their flexibility and team spirit to inject impetus into the promotion of safeguarding national security.

In the afternoon, the Department of Justice, the SB, the Education Bureau and the Hong Kong Shine Tak Foundation jointly organised the finals and award presentation ceremony of the Territory-wide Inter-school National Security Knowledge Challenge 2025/26.

The challenge attracted a record number of more than 132,000 students from 651 primary and secondary schools. The content of the “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems” white paper was also incorporated into the challenge, keeping national security education abreast of the times.

In a video speech, Mr Chan thanked the principals and teachers for their support to help students gain more national security knowledge through the competitions. He noted that teachers and students of the winning school teams were invited to join a study tour to the Mainland to know the country’s latest developments and experience stability and social advancement under the safeguard of national security.

He also encouraged students, teachers and all sectors of society to proactively shoulder the duty of safeguarding national security and be the guardians of national security with a sense of responsibility and vision.

Also officiating at the ceremony, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam supplemented that since the promulgation and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, order in the community has been restored, and steady economic development has been ensured. To maintain the current hard-earned situation, citizens have to safeguard national security of their own accord.

The highlights of the finals and the award presentation ceremony will be broadcast at 10.30 tonight and 7.30pm on April 19 on HOY Infotainment.

Apart from the above-mentioned activities, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung also attended the National Security Education Day Opening Ceremony & Seminar held by the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region at the Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Mr Tang’s other related engagement was the book launch ceremony of a national security children’s picture book, organised by the Federation of Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organisations.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Lands Department announced today that it registered 13 lease modifications and two land exchanges in the Land Registry during the quarter ending March 2026, adding that three were technical changes involving no premium.

Of the land transactions, one is located on Hong Kong Island, 10 are in Kowloon and four are in the New Territories.

Another 10 lots were granted by private treaty during the period.

One was granted for the development of the university in Ho Man Tin; one was granted for an electricity substation in Tung Chung; one was granted to the Urban Renewal Authority for residential development in Kowloon City, one was granted to the MTR Corporation for residential development in Tuen Mun; while the other six were granted to the Housing Authority for public housing developments. 

The land transactions realised a total land premium of about $2.1072 billion.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Cinema Day 2026 will take place on April 25, during which all movie tickets at commercial cinemas across Hong Kong will be priced at $30.

The initiative is sponsored by the Cultural & Creative Industries Development Agency under the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau through the Film Development Fund (FDF). Tickets will go on sale starting at noon on April 22 at cinema box offices, websites and mobile apps.

Attending a press conference for the event today, Commissioner for Cultural & Creative Industries Drew Lai encouraged the public to visit cinemas and support the local film industry.

Miss Lai stated that the Government remains committed to fostering the development of the local film sector. She highlighted that the FDF has supported various initiatives, such as Cinema Day, to promote Hong Kong films and reach a wider audience.

She added that Cinema Day aims to cultivate a cinema-going culture among the public, supporting the long-term growth of the industry while simultaneously boosting consumption in local neighbourhoods.

Over the past three years, Cinema Day has recorded a total of more than 600,000 admissions and over $44 million in box office revenue. The initiative has been widely welcomed by both the public and the film industry.

Source: Government of Samoa

His Excellency Patryk Michal Blaszczak presented his Letters of Credence to the Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa, Afioga Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II, at a Credentials Ceremony held this morning at the Official Residence of the Head of State at Vailele. The presentation formally accredited His Excellency as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to Samoa, with residence in Wellington, New Zealand.

Samoa and Poland have enjoyed cordial relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties on 8 March 2012. The two countries continue to engage closely through their shared membership in the United Nations, the OACPS–EU framework, and other international fora on matters of mutual interest, including international peace and security, the promotion of democracy and fundamental human rights, and climate change. Ambassador Błaszczak reaffirmed Poland’s commitment to strengthening the diplomatic partnership between Samoa and Poland, both bilaterally and multilaterally, building on the solid foundation established by his predecessors.

Afioga Tuimaleali‘ifano Va‘aletoa Sualauvi II welcomed the Ambassador and acknowledged the positive development of relations between Samoa and Poland. The Head of State conveyed his congratulations to the Government of Poland on the establishment of an Honorary Consul in Samoa and extended his best wishes to Mr. Anthony Pereira on his appointment as the first Honorary Consul of Poland to Samoa. He expressed confidence that this new representation will further strengthen cooperation and people-to-people ties, and that Ambassador Blaszczak’s tenure will continue to enhance friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

His Excellency Patryk Michał Błaszczak is currently the Ambassador of Poland to New Zealand (since 2025) with concurrent accreditation to Samoa and other Pacific countries. He has held senior diplomatic including Deputy Head of Mission in Copenhagen, Acting Director of the European Policy Department at Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Head of the Political Section at the Polish Embassy in Paris. Ambassador Błaszczak holds a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Warsaw, is fluent in English and French, and is a recipient of the Bronze Cross of Merit of the Republic of Poland.

END

The post PRESENTATION OF CREDENTIALS OF THE AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND TO THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF SAMOA appeared first on Government of Samoa.

Source: Government of Samoa

His Excellency Dr. Gábor Tamás Nagy presented his Letter of Credence to the Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa, Afioga Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II, at a Credentials Ceremony held this morning at the Official Residence of the Head of State at Vailele. The presentation formally accredited His Excellency as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Hungary to Samoa, with residence in Wellington, New Zealand.

Samoa and Hungary have enjoyed cordial relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties on 7 September 2011. Despite the geographical distance between us, we continue to engage through our shared membership in the United Nations, the OACP-EU and other international fora on matters of mutual interest, including peace and security, respect for sovereignty, human rights, and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Ambassador Nagy reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to the diplomatic partnership between our two countries in various areas, be it bilateral as well as multilateral formats based on the solid foundation that has already been established by his predecessors.

Afioga Tuimaleali‘ifano Va‘aletoa Sualauvi II welcomed the Ambassador and acknowledged the positive development of relations between Samoa and Hungary. The Head of State conveyed his congratulations to the Government of Hungary on the establishment of an Honorary Consulate in Samoa and extended his best wishes to Afioga Saumalaulu Stefan Szegedi on his appointment as the first Honorary Consul of Hungary to Samoa. He expressed confidence that this new representation will further strengthen cooperation and people-to-people ties between the two countries. The Head of State also stated that Ambassador Nagy’s tenure would further strengthen existing friendship and cooperation between Samoa and Hungary.

H.E. Dr. Gábor Tamás Nagy has a distinguished career in public service, academia, and politics. He most recently served as Deputy Head of Mission and Consul at the Permanent Mission of Hungary to Vilnius, Lithuania (2022–2024). Over his extensive career, he has held prominent roles including as Mayor of Budapest’s 1st District (Buda Castle Municipality), Member of the Hungarian Parliament and its Foreign Affairs Committee, and Member of the Budapest City Council. Prior to his political career, he worked as a lecturer at Eötvös Loránd University and as a researcher at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Dr. Nagy holds degrees in Law and Sociology from Eötvös Loránd University and is fluent in English and German.

END

February 24, 2026

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Transport Department (TD) today (April 15) announced that the auction of vehicle registration marks will be held on May 2 (Saturday) at Meeting Room S221, L2, Old Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.

“A total of 100 personalised vehicle registration marks (PVRMs) will be put up for public auction in the morning session, and 220 traditional vehicle registration marks (TVRMs) will be put up for auction in the afternoon session. The list of marks has been uploaded to the department’s website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html,” a department spokesman said.

For the auction of TVRMs, only registration marks starting with “HK” or “XX” and special vehicle registration marks are put up for physical auction. Applicants should attend the auction and take note of the opening price as announced by the auctioneer before participating in the bidding of the mark.

The reserve price of each PVRM is $5,000. Applicants who have paid a deposit of $5,000 should also attend the physical auction and participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price). Otherwise, the PVRM concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.

People who wish to participate in the bidding at the physical auction should take note of the following points:

(1) Bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after the successful bidding:

(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser if it is different from the successful bidder;
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation if the purchaser is a body corporate; and
(iv) a crossed cheque payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” or “The Government of the HKSAR”. Any bidder who wishes to bid for both TVRMs and PVRMs on the same day, should bring along at least two crossed cheques for payment of auction prices (for an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed). Successful bidders may also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS), but are reminded to note the maximum transfer amount on the same day of the payment card. Payment by post-dated cheque, cash, credit card or other methods will not be accepted.

(2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through the EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of Vehicle Registration Mark or the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the Memorandum will not be permitted.

(3) A registration mark can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.

(4) The display of a vehicle registration mark on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 to the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations.

(5) Any change to the arrangement of letters, numerals and blank spaces of a PVRM, i.e. single and two rows as auctioned, will not be allowed.

(6) Special vehicle registration marks are non-transferable. Where the ownership of a motor vehicle with a special vehicle registration mark is transferred, the allocation of the special vehicle registration mark shall be cancelled.

(7) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the vehicle registration mark to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the registration mark within 12 months, allocation of the registration mark will be cancelled and arranged for reallocation by the Commissioner for Transport in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.

“Upon completion of the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM, the purchaser will be issued a receipt and a Certificate of Allocation of Personalised Registration Mark. The Certificate of Allocation will serve to prove the holdership of the PVRM. Potential buyers of vehicles bearing a PVRM should check the Certificate of Allocation with the sellers and pay attention to the details therein. For transfer of vehicle ownership, this certificate together with other required documents should be sent to the TD for processing,” the spokesman added.
    
For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of TVRMs (www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/tvrm_auction/index.html) and Guidance Notes – Auction of PVRMs (www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/pvrm_auction/index.html).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is the speech by the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, at the Low-altitude Economy Development Conference at InnoEx 2026 today (April 15):

Mr Mukhametkaliyev (Vice Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr Bakhtiyar Mukhametkaliyev), Professor Zhang (President of the Liaoning General Aviation Academy, Professor Zhang Qingxin), Dr Boonfueng (Executive Director of the National Innovation Agency, Thailand, Dr Krithpaka Boonfueng), Dr Jane Lee (President of Our Hong Kong Foundation), the Honourable Elizabeth Quat (Founding President of the Greater Bay Area Low Altitude Economy Alliance, Dr Elizabeth Quat), Ms Jenny Koo (Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon. I would like to begin by thanking the organisers of InnoEx 2026 for putting together this marvellous conference yet again in Hong Kong. And my thanks go to TDC (Hong Kong Trade Development Council), of course, for everything that TDC has been doing to promote low altitude economy.

Last year, at the 2025 edition of this event, I shared with you Hong Kong’s ambitious plan to develop our low altitude economy. I’m now more than delighted to update you on the significant progress that has since been made, and to share with you the next steps Hong Kong is going to take. 

It is estimated that the low altitude economy could represent a global total addressable market of up to US$9 trillion by 2050. So the potential for growth and the size of this sector over the long term are both enormous.

Here in Hong Kong, we are determined to leverage this huge potential for our economic growth. We will also drive institutional innovation and technological breakthrough. In the process, we will capitalise upon Hong Kong’s unique strengths under “one country, two systems”; our leading positions as a global financial centre and international trade, logistics and aviation hub; and our fast-growing innovation and tech sector.

To put it simply, we are striving to build an internationally competitive ecosystem for our low altitude economy, and to position Hong Kong as the Asia Pacific hub for innovative low-altitude applications.

We started this journey by launching the first batch of low altitude economy regulatory sandbox projects back in March last year. So far, a total of 38 projects have been announced in this batch, with applications across diverse sectors and environments, covering scenarios such as emergency and rescue, logistics and distribution, infrastructure surveillance and maintenance. To date, more than 20 projects that are more mature have successfully transitioned from the exploratory stage to implementation stage. They’ve grown from just test concepts to market solutions with actual service providers and buyers. To facilitate this development, our Civil Aviation Department has issued a number of advisory circulars to provide operators with clear guidance to follow and to provide the market with transparent and effective guardrails.

It is noteworthy that many of these sandbox projects have inspired further innovation in new technologies and operational models. As an example, the MTR Corporation’s intelligent drone system for tunnel inspection and asset digitisation, and the Hong Kong Government’s “SmartAERO”, which is a smart drone management platform, have both won international awards and recognition at the International Exhibition of Inventions held in Geneva last month.

Over the past year, the Government has advanced the legal backbone for low altitude economy through progressive amendments to our civil aviation legislation. The first milestone was reached in July 2025 with the legislation to extend the prevailing regulatory regime to cover larger-scale aircraft weighing over 25 kilograms but not more than 150kg, and empower the trial operations of unconventional aircraft weighing more than 150kg under specified conditions. We believe these amendments to our law will open up new possibilities for more complex applications, especially in our logistics and industrial sectors.

Over the past year, the Government has also kick-started the early planning of the core infrastructure requirements necessary to support a scalable, and higher density, low altitude ecosystem. It includes key elements such as vertiports, air route networks, satellite positioning, three-dimensional spatial data systems and a smart low-altitude traffic management system. In particular, my thanks go to the Office of the Communications Authority which launched the Unmanned Aircraft System (Private) Licence late last year. The Authority has also earmarked the 1.4 GHz spectrum band as the dedicated spectrum for allocation to licensees of unmanned aircraft operations. We believe this is a strategic move which will enhance the reliability and range for command and control links, and will strengthen the technical compatibility for cross-boundary low altitude flights as they are developed.

Ladies and gentlemen, the above is just a short recap of what Hong Kong has done since the Conference last year. Going forward, we will do more. We have to do more. Many of you would be aware that the year 2026 is the opening year of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, so Hong Kong will also proactively work to ensure that developments in our robust low altitude economy also align with this all important plan for our future. 

Let me give you just a few examples. Firstly, we are in the process of rolling out another phase of regulatory sandboxes, called Sandbox X. I’ve been told that the word “X” means extension, another level, etc. Sandbox X targets applications that are more advanced, more complicated or have a heavier infrastructure content. I am pleased to report that more than 100 applications have been received, and I am delighted to say that a number of applications related to unmanned aircraft traffic management system and also unconventional aircraft will soon be implemented as pilot projects. Applications in other areas such as cross-boundary operations and a multiple applications shared-platform, are being looked at and we will announce the results shortly.

Secondly, we will draft an action plan on developing the low altitude economy. It will set out a clear way forward, and outline the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders. In drafting the plan, we will draw reference from the best practices around the world, and we will take full account of the experiences gained from sandbox and Sandbox X. Importantly, the plan will also feature the next-phase of legislative and regulatory enhancements that are necessary to lay a firm foundation for the development of our low altitude economy.

Thirdly, we will continue to forge closer integration with the Mainland in maximising the synergy of the low altitude economy in different parts of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. For example, we will work with the relevant authorities to harmonise standards and procedures to facilitate the early commencement of cross-boundary flight operations. We believe this will, in the longer term, unlock a new logistics mode for high-value, last-mile delivery for the entire Greater Bay Area, which has a population of about 90 million people and presents enormous potential for business and profits for those who are ready.

Fourthly, and last but not least, we will continue to leverage Hong Kong’s unique strengths as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” to contribute towards the national low altitude economy strategy. Today’s InnoEX serves as a prime example of bringing together enterprises, experts, sellers and buyers from the Chinese Mainland and from overseas. Together, we will discover new business opportunities and forge new partnerships. It is our firm belief that, as the global low altitude economy grows, Hong Kong will also have a bigger and bigger role to play, especially in providing an effective, two-way platform for the Chinese Mainland as well as overseas enterprises, and to provide all the support, in finance, in risk management, in logistics as well as a host of other areas, that they need to succeed.

Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for your attention and for being such a wonderful audience. In closing, I would like to thank the organisers one more time, and to thank the TDC also for one more time. And for everyone here, I wish you great success. Thank you all very much.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Below are the opening remarks by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at the National Security Legal Forum today (April 15):
 
Professor Wang (Vice President of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, and Professor of the School of Law of Tsinghua University, Professor Wang Zhenmin), distinguished guests, ladies and gentleman,
 
     Good afternoon. Welcome to the National Security Legal Forum organised by the Department of Justice. The theme for this year is the white paper published on February 10 titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”. 
 
Introduction
 
     This is an extremely important document, being the third white paper issued by the Central People’s Government on Hong Kong, after “The Practice of the One Country Two Systems Policy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” in June 2014 and “Hong Kong: Democratic Progress under the Framework of One Country Two Systems” in December 2021.
 
     One must know the past to understand the present. The white paper clears up confusion and misunderstandings by comprehensively reviewing Hong Kong’s endeavours in safeguarding national security, and the experience and insights gained in the process. In addition, to build high-standard security in order to support the high-quality development of Hong Kong, the white paper sets out six fundamental principles. They are: upholding the unity of the Central Government’s fundamental responsibility and the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region)’s constitutional responsibility; keeping the power of governing the HKSAR firmly in the hands of patriots; respecting and ensuring human rights; safeguarding security under the rule of law; following a holistic approach to development and security; and safeguarding security with greater openness. I would like to share my views on some of the most salient features among these principles.
 
Not “absolute” or “generalised” security
 
     First and foremost, it is made crystal clear that Hong Kong does not pursue “absolute” or “generalised” security. This is indeed, and has always been, the crux of our country’s approach to national security. To begin with, as stated in an outline for the study of a holistic approach to national security published four years ago on April 15, 2022, it is necessary to respect and safeguard the security of each and every country; hence, it should not be the case that one country is safe whereas other countries are unsafe, or that some countries are safe whereas others are unsafe; it is also wrong to pursue one country’s so-called “absolute security” by sacrificing other countries’ security. Second, in the Global Security Initiative (GSI) Concept Paper published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 21, 2023, it reaffirms that China stays committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously: The security of one country should not come at the expense of that of others; all countries are equal in terms of security interests; the legitimate and reasonable security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously and addressed properly; any country, while pursuing its own security, should take into account the reasonable security concerns of others. Lastly, in the white paper published by the State Council on May 12, 2025, titled “China’s National Security in the New Era”, apart from referring to the content of the GSI, it pointed out that pursuing power supremacy and “absolute security” will only result in a security dilemma.
 
Relative security
 
     Therefore, instead of “absolute security”, China pursues “relative security”. This fundamental approach is given the force of law. Article 2 of the National Security Law of the People’s Republic of China, which is reproduced in section 4 of Hong Kong’s Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, defines national security as a reference to the status in which the state’s political regime, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, the welfare of the people, sustainable economic and social development, and other major interests of the state are relatively free from danger and internal or external threats, and the capability to maintain a sustained status of security. It is vital to note that it says “relatively free from danger and internal or external threats”, but not “absolutely free from danger and such threats”.
 
Security and development
 
     To pursue “absolute security” is not only contrary to the fundamental principle of peaceful coexistence under international law and international relations; it is also unsustainable in practice and will stifle development which is against the interests of a country’s own people. Hence, another important principle set out in the white paper is to follow a holistic approach to development and security. It highlights the causal link between security and development: Security is a prerequisite for development, whereas development provides a guarantee for security. We strive to strike a dynamic balance between development and security so that the two reinforce each other. Such a holistic approach is based on common sense and simple logic, and it is also proved by empirical evidence of events taking place in other parts of the world at this very moment.
 
Open security
 
     This fundamental approach is of particular importance to Hong Kong. Under the principle of “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong enjoys various unique strengths, all of which aim at enabling Hong Kong to serve as an international centre in different areas such as finance, trade, shipping as well as legal and dispute resolution services. The keyword to Hong Kong’s success is “international”. To serve as a genuine international city, it is essential to gain and maintain people’s trust and confidence that Hong Kong is an open, inclusive, and diversified society. This is why another principle laid down by the white paper is that Hong Kong aims at developing “open security”, which emphasises safeguarding national security in an open environment. Examples given include that Hong Kong will continue to employ judges and other judicial professionals from other common law areas, and its Court of Final Appeal will continue to invite such judges to participate in trials as needed; lawyers from other areas will continue to work and practise law in Hong Kong in accordance with the law; and the lawful rights and interests of investors from all countries and regions will continue to receive equal protection.
 
Respect for human rights and the rule of law
 
     To achieve “relative security” and “open security” in Hong Kong, the white paper lays down two further important principles, namely, first, respecting and ensuring human rights and, second, safeguarding security under the rule of law. These two principles also enjoy the force of law. Article 4 of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (NSL) provides that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security in Hong Kong; the rights and freedoms which residents of Hong Kong enjoy under the Basic Law and the provisions in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as applied to Hong Kong shall be protected in accordance with the law. Article 5 provides that the principle of the rule of law shall be adhered to in preventing, suppressing, and imposing punishment for offences endangering national security: Hence, a person is presumed innocent until convicted by a judicial body; the right to defend himself or herself and other rights in judicial proceedings that a criminal suspect, defendant and other parties in judicial proceedings are entitled to under the law shall be protected. Articles 4 and 5 of the NSL have been reproduced virtually verbatim in section 2 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance as the principles on which the Ordinance is based.
 
Judiciary exercising independent judicial power
 
     One may ask how one can be reassured that these legal requirements will be faithfully followed in the enactment and implementation of national security laws. Again, the white paper provides the answer. It specifically states that the judicial authorities of the HKSAR exercise adjudicative power independently and, in trying cases pertaining to national security in accordance with the law, are free from any interference.
 
     The important role played by the Hong Kong courts in this respect was explained by the Court of Appeal in Secretary for Justice v. Persons Conducting Themselves In Any Of The Acts Prohibited Under Paragraph 1(a), (b), (c) Or (d) Of The Indorsement Of Claim [2024] HKCA 442, [2024] 3 HKLRD 32. The Chief Judge of the High Court, giving the judgment, held that, in discharging its judicial function in cases involving national security, the court will give appropriate deference to the executive but will make its own judgment on the issue as required. There are at least three areas where the court has been held to be qualified to make its own judgment while giving the executive deference, and they involve issues of a constitutional or legal nature or content: first, where a fundamental right of the person affected by the measure is engaged; second, where the requirement of a fair trial is in issue; and third, where the question of open justice is raised. In HKSAR v Tang Ngok Kwan and others [2025] HKCFA 3, (2025) 28 HKCFAR 29, the Court of Final Appeal held that our courts have frequently acknowledged their duty under Article 3 of the NSL to effectively “prevent, suppress and impose punishment for any act or activity endangering national security” and the importance of that duty. However, it bears emphasising that carrying out that duty requires the courts faithfully to give effect to the provisions of the NSL and other applicable laws, including the safeguards provided for a fair trial.

Conclusion
 
     As the white paper aptly observes, national security, like air and sunshine, is something without which we cannot survive but too often, mistakenly, taken for granted. We must therefore arouse the awareness and vigilance of people in this respect. We must also provide people with a proper and sufficient understanding of the fundamental principles that Hong Kong follows in safeguarding national security. This is to ensure that the national security laws of Hong Kong will be assessed objectively and rationally, and that they will be accepted and followed voluntarily and willingly, out of a genuine belief and conviction that they are essential and beneficial to our well-being, but not something that one may feel apprehensive about. To achieve this objective, I urge all of you, and all who are genuinely concerned about Hong Kong, to study the white paper carefully.
 
     Before I conclude, I would like to thank Professor Wang, and all the guest speakers for agreeing to share their insights with us this afternoon. I wish you a constructive and productive forum. Thank you very much.