China News Service, Hong Kong, February 21 (Reporter Han Xingtong) The Hong Kong SAR Legislative Council held the 13th front office exchange meeting on the 21st. This was also the first time it was held after the Lunar New Year of the Dragon. At the meeting, SAR government officials and about 60 members of the Legislative Council discussed the two topics of measures to combat online and telephone fraud and the legislative work of Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law around the keyword "security".
Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan and Secretary for Security Tang Bing-keung led a number of officials from the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, Police Force and Office of the Communications Authority to attend the exchange meeting that day. After the exchange meeting, Zhang Guojun met with the media and said that the discussion at the meeting was very candid and in-depth. In addition to raising opinions, members also conveyed the concerns of the public. The SAR government will collate and analyze these opinions.
Zhang Guojun said that in the new year, the SAR government will continue to pursue development, strive for economic development, and benefit people's livelihood. He mentioned that safety is the foundation of development, so the theme of the first front office exchange meeting in the Year of the Dragon centered on the keyword "safety".
Zhang Guojun said that with the rapid development of science and technology, online and telephone fraud are very common, the amount of losses involved is getting larger and larger, and the methods of fraud are endless. In order to demonstrate the SAR government's firm determination to combat fraud, officials from multiple relevant departments "mobilized out in full force" that day to communicate with members from different perspectives such as fraud prevention, law enforcement actions, and public education.
As for the legislative work on Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law, Tang Bingqiang said that he had candid and in-depth exchanges with many lawmakers at the exchange meeting. In addition to giving valuable opinions, they also reflected the opinions and concerns of the public.
Wu Qiubei, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and member of the Legislative Council, said he hoped to legislate Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law as soon as possible. He believes that in the current international geopolitical situation, practices that endanger national security will become more covert, so more means are needed to detect, prevent and stop them.
Hong Kong Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB) Vice Chairman and Legislative Council member Chow Ho-ding said that the exchange on that day was very useful. He expressed to officials the information that the DAB has generally obtained at the community level or in contact with local and foreign chambers of commerce. It is hoped that the legislation of Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law will be completed as soon as possible.
The "Front Office Exchange Meeting" is a newly established mechanism after Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive Lee Ka-chiu took office to strengthen exchanges between SAR government officials and Legislative Council members. (over)