21 May 2020
On 21 May 2020, the Presidium of the Third Session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) of China made a decision to include Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) national security legislation in the agenda of the upcoming Session. Deliberation will begin after the Session opens on 22 May. This is an important measure taken by China to safeguard its national security and an essential move to safeguard the "one country, two systems".
National security is the bedrock underpinning the stability of the country. The Hong Kong SAR is an integral part of China. Upholding national security serves the fundamental interests of all the Chinese people including the Hong Kong compatriots. It is the precondition and guarantee for the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. Today's Hong Kong ranks one of the places in the world which have the most defective legal systems and enforcement mechanisms as well as the weakest institutions for safeguarding national security. While the of Hong Kong SAR is facing concrete threats and severe damages on national security, yet the SAR government lacking the basic ability to carry out the legislation on its own, it is exactly to fix the loophole of national security and make sure the "one country, two systems" to advance in the right direction that the central government of China decides to push forward the legislation on the national level.
The National People's Congress is the highest organ of the state power in China. The Constitution and the Basic Law of Hong Kong SAR give it the power as well as the responsibility to deliberate on legislation for upholding national security in the Hong Kong SAR. We have ample sincerity and confidence to keep the "one country, two systems" unchanged and unshaken. At the same time, we also have enough determination and capability to ensure the "one country, two systems" advance on the track right and sound.