China News Service, July 1st, how to understand the meaning of maintaining national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region? Shen Chunyao, director of the Legal Work Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, said on the 1st that, first, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region itself must maintain national security in accordance with law; second, it should maintain national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; third, national security affairs related to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, The Central People's Government has fundamental responsibilities.
The State Council Office held a press conference on the morning of the 1st. Shen Chunyao, director of the Legal Work Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council in charge of daily work, introduced the situation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's national security law and answered questions from reporters.
A reporter asked: The name of this law is "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Maintenance of National Security". The content of the law is not limited to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. How do you understand the meaning of safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region?
Shen Chunyao responded that the key word of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to maintain national security is also the name of the law. It was clearly stated in the "Decision" of the Fourth Plenary Session of the Nineteenth Central Committee of the Party last year to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanism of the Special Administrative Region to maintain national security. . Later, the focus was on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, because my country still has special administrative regions. The decision adopted at the Third Session of the Thirteenth National People's Congress this year is also to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanism for the maintenance of national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and clearly propose to advance this matter at the national level.
"The newly introduced law, "The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Maintenance of National Security", as the reporter asked, the content includes but is not limited to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region itself. Therefore, for the keyword of "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to maintain national security", I understand that there are at least three meanings." Shen Chunyao said.
First, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region itself must maintain national security according to law. This is very clear in the decisions of the National People's Congress and in the laws just passed. This is a constitutional responsibility. The administrative organs, legislatures and judicial organs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall perform their duties of maintaining national security in accordance with the provisions of this Law and other relevant laws. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region itself is very important and also the main responsibility.
Second, maintain national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Central People’s Government has established an agency for maintaining national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The agency of the National Security Administration is clearly defined in the law. Several of the original agencies of the central government also have a certain relationship with the maintenance of national security. Therefore, the second level of meaning is a regional one, to maintain national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region but is not limited to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region itself.
Third, the Central People’s Government has fundamental responsibility for national security matters related to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. What is fundamental responsibility? It is the highest responsibility, the ultimate responsibility, the overall responsibility. This level also exceeds the meaning of the above two levels. It is not the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region itself, nor is it there. The Central People’s Government in Beijing, that is, the country has the fundamental responsibility for the national security affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Therefore, the name of this law, including such a conceptual term, should be understood in a broad sense. Each of the six chapters of the law has clear provisions. Chapter 2 specifically stipulates the responsibilities and institutions of the Special Administrative Region. Chapter 5 stipulates the relevant content of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to maintain the national security institutions, but on the whole it reflects a broad meaning.