Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs lays down direction for city’s development at high-level national security forum
Hong Kong should remain vigilant over “complex and severe” external and internal national security threats it still faces, while also leveraging its unique strengths to boost connectivity with the world and integrate with the country, a senior Beijing official has said.
Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, on Saturday laid down directions for Hong Kong which he said had entered a new “chapter” of development after the implementation of the national security law five years ago.
The local government should improve its governance, react to trends in a timely manner and solve deep-seated conflicts in society, while the city should also remain vigilant over persistent national security threats, he stressed.
“One should not assume that all is well in Hong Kong. We should never forget about the pain when the wounds are healed,” Xia said, warning there were still people who were determined to smear the law or threaten authorities with new forms of “soft resistance”.
“The situation facing Hong Kong in maintaining national security remains complex and severe,” he added. “[The city] should maintain and consolidate its hard-earned stability through firmly grasping the practical requirements of maintaining national security under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle.”
Xia, who is in Hong Kong for a five-day inspection of the city, was speaking at a high-level forum marking the fifth anniversary of the Beijing-imposed national security law.
