As required by Article 13(2) of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the National Security Law), the State Council, on the nomination of the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, approved the appointment of the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, as the Secretary General of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (July 2). Mr Chan took the oath of office in the afternoon today.
Commenting on the appointment of Mr Chan, Mrs Lam said, "As the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan has had distinguished performance in leading the office. I have no doubt that he is capable of taking up the post of the Secretary General of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR, in addition to his existing post, to lead the Secretariat to support the Committee to fulfil its crucial responsibility to safeguard national security."
It is stipulated in the National Security Law that a Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR chaired by the Chief Executive will be established to take up national security affairs and bear the major responsibility for safeguarding national security. It will be under the supervision of and be accountable to the Central People's Government. Members of the Committee will include the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary, the Secretary for Justice, the Secretary for Security, the Commissioner of Police, the head of the department for safeguarding national security of the Hong Kong Police Force established under Article 16 of the National Security Law, the Director of Immigration, the Commissioner of Customs and Excise and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office. The Secretariat under the Committee is to be headed by the Secretary General.
The purposes of the National Security Law are to prevent, suppress and punish crimes, namely secession, subversion of state power, organisation and perpetration of terrorist activities, and collusion with foreign or external forces to endanger national security; maintain the prosperity and stability of the HKSAR; and protect the lawful rights and interests of HKSAR residents. The National Security Law was applied by promulgation in the HKSAR on June 30.
As pointed out by the Chief Executive at the press conference on the National Security Law yesterday (July 1), the HKSAR Government will spare no effort in enforcing the law to achieve the legislative objectives, and, in doing so, better the "One Country, Two Systems" institutional system for the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.
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