A flag-raising ceremony is held by the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to celebrate the 26th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland at the Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong on July 1, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government will boost public education on patriotism and ensure that the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance would be strictly enforced, the city’s leader pledged on Tuesday.

Terming it as a new chapter for the city, John Lee Ka-chiu said his government would fulfill its duties as required by the newly passed ordinance, by taking forward public education and explaining the details of the law, so that residents could understand the purposes of the ordinance.

In order to lay a foundation to cultivate the sense of nationhood and law-abidingness among residents, the government would promote the education of national security, patriotism and Chinese culture, he added.

“The objectives of the ordinance are to effectively prevent, suppress and punish any activities which will endanger national security,” he said, adding that the government departments concerned will implement these major objectives.

The chief secretary for administration will chair a working group on patriotic education and national security education across the community. The government will also leverage media outlets to boost the public’s interest in the education, said Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu

Any acts that would endanger national security are serious offenses, the chief executive stressed.

“Government departments, especially law enforcement agencies will need to step up their efforts to guard against infiltration of external intelligence organizations. We need to speed up trainings to enhance their abilities to collect and analyze intelligence.”

The chief secretary for administration will chair a working group on patriotic education and national security education across the community. The government will also leverage media outlets to boost the public’s interest in the education, said the CE.

The Chinese Culture Promotion Office, under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, will organize activities to promote traditional culture and facilitate cultural exchanges within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, he added.

Asked about how to tackle the Western governments’ skewed remarks about the ordinance, Lee stressed a lot of overseas politicians and organizations continue to attack Hong Kong and the new ordinance, because of their own political interests, despite having much harsher national security laws in their own countries.

“We will continue to inform the business sector and explain the advantage of this law during overseas visits. We will coordinate with different sectors to tell the world the benefits of the law,” the CE said.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu smiles as he waves after addressing the Legislative Council following the passage of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance on March 19, 2024. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Regarding reports that a prisoner was not given remission after the enactment of the new security law, he said individuals convicted of national security offences would not receive a sentence reduction under normal circumstances.

No-one should attempt to do anything to endanger national security, he said, reiterating that national security offenses are grave crimes and normally there is no remission of sentences in this regard.

Solid waste charging

Asked about the demonstration scheme of the municipal solid waste charging program, Lee said the government sought to run the scheme seriously in the 14 chosen venues to see how the scheme would be run and what kind of support would be needed.

The CE said he had asked Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration Warner Cheuk Wing-hing to chair a cross-departmental group to inspect and review the demonstration scheme and report the Legislative Council around May and June.