Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, at a media session after attending the meeting of the Legislative Council Panel on Security today (September 7):
Reporter: Regarding the Hong Kong Alliance, they just said that the Police actually don't have sufficient grounds to ask them to provide the information and the Police actually made a mistake in understanding the National Security Law. What do you have to say to this? And also, about the situation in the prison, I mean, are the inmates not allowed to tell the outside world about their situation? How will that endanger national security? Thank you.
Secretary for Security: Regarding your first question, I think I've explained it clearly, and it's also stated in the law that foreign agents include those who receive money support from overseas political parties or political organisations, and then act to the benefit of those foreign organisations. I think it's very clearly stated in the law. Regarding how they actually commit those things, because probably there will be legal actions in the very near future, I'm afraid I cannot give you the details right here and now, but I'm sure if there's any criminal prosecution in the future, you can hear all the stories in the court, as per what happened a few days ago regarding Jimmy Lai, how he worked together with foreign people and tried to influence two young defendants to act for them to collude with foreign forces and affect the national security of Hong Kong.
Reporter: The situation in the prison. How will the inmates talking to, you know, people visiting them endanger national security?
Secretary for Security: I think this is not as simple as what you've said. Actually, I've quoted a number of actions that they've done. In conjunction with all those issues, what they achieve is they will establish a special group of people who have privileges. Where do the privileges come from? They come from extra resources, extra items. And then through this influence, they try to disseminate their sense of being against Hong Kong Government and Central Government. Through this, they will endanger national security and the security of Hong Kong.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
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