China News Service, Hong Kong, March 17th: Title: Article 23 legislation is "near the end" and Hong Kong will make up for its shortcomings in safeguarding national security.

　　China News Service reporter Xiang Luping

　　"I agree and support the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's implementation of Article 23 legislation of the Hong Kong Basic Law (referred to as 'Article 23 legislation'). Any country's top priority is to protect its territory and maintain the overall security of its citizens." Recently, the late Hong Kong "four A handwritten letter of opinion submitted by Huang Zhan, one of the "Great Talents", to the Security Bureau of the SAR Government more than 20 years ago has been circulated on the Internet. Many Hong Kong people lamented that "Uncle Zhan"'s wisdom back then was indeed prescient. The content of the letter is now read Still full of vigilance.

　　"Uncle Zhan's" opinions reflect the expectations of the vast majority of Hong Kong citizens.

Some people once thought, why is there still a need for Article 23 legislation when there is already a national security law for Hong Kong?

However, whether it is from the Hong Kong SAR's constitutional responsibility to safeguard national security, from the clear requirements of the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Hong Kong National Security Law for the SAR to complete legislation to safeguard national security, or from the reality that the Hong Kong National Security Law is not enough to cover all crimes for safeguarding national security. situation, or from the perspective of the international geopolitical situation, the 23 pieces of legislation have their necessity and urgency.

　　In fact, during the public consultation period conducted by the SAR government on Article 23 legislation from January 30 to February 28, 98.6% of the 13,000 submissions received expressed support and put forward positive suggestions for optimization, showing that the legislation has powerful The basis of public opinion.

　　Since the SAR's "Bill on Safeguarding National Security" (referred to as the "Bill") was gazetted and submitted to the SAR Legislative Council for review on March 8, every step of the review process has received widespread attention, and the content of the Bill has also been interpreted in depth, demonstrating openness and transparency. , an efficient and orderly legislative landscape.

　　Under the social consensus that "one day earlier, one day" for the 23-article legislation, after seven consecutive days of high-quality deliberation, on March 14, the SAR Legislative Council Committee on the "Maintaining National Security Bill" completed the article-by-article review of the bill amendments.

The Secretary for Justice of the SAR Government, Lam Ting-kwok, described the legislative work on Article 23 as “nearing the end”.

He said that this review fully reflects the determination and ability of the HKSAR's executive and legislative bodies to perform their respective duties, do their best, and work together to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities under Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law.

　　"The state owns the country's gate, and the districts have their own gates. That gate cannot replace this gate." As the line in the short sitcom "Gate" recently launched by the Hong Kong Restart Alliance said, only when a home has a gate, the heart can be at ease.

Article 23 of the legislation will provide Hong Kong with a legal door to safeguard national security and protect rights, freedoms and economic development, and build a complete and effective legal system and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security.

　　It is foreseeable that regulations that fully respect and protect human rights, fully draw on the legislative experience of other, especially common law countries and regions, fully absorb the current legal provisions familiar to Hong Kong society, fully protect the welfare and rights of residents, and fully protect property and investment in the SAR After the draft is enacted into law through the third reading process by the SAR Legislative Council, it will make up for Hong Kong's shortcomings in safeguarding national security.

　　It can be believed that with a higher level of security, Hong Kong, which has no "worries", will "go into battle lightly", give full play to the unique advantages of relying on the motherland and connecting the world under "one country, two systems", and strive for economic development and benefit people's livelihood. happiness.

As the "pearl in the palm" of the country, Hong Kong will shine even more dazzlingly.

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