Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday urged society to remain vigilant against national security threats after the recent verdict of a subversion trial sounded the alarm.

A Hong Kong court on Thursday passed the verdict of a subversion case related to an illegal “primary election” of the Legislative Council election in 2020, finding 14 people whom police arrested in 2021 guilty of conspiring to subvert State power, and acquitting two defendants.

The verdict also established several important principles in terms of national security trials, including that “illegal means” in the offense of subversion of State power is not limited to the use or threat of force, Lee added

In addition to the 31 suspects who pleaded guilty before the trial began, 45 out of the 47 defendants in the subversion case under the National Security Law for Hong Kong were convicted.

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Speaking ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting on Tuesday, Lee said the number of people convicted in the subversion case shows the scale and the seriousness of the criminal scheme they plotted, adding that the Department of Justice will file an appeal of the acquittals.

Lee said the evidence presented during the trial has made the public understand the defendants’ “mutual destruction” plan and other approaches aiming to call for external sanctions and paralyze the city’s economy and social operation, which, if successful, would cause untold harm to the Hong Kong SAR.

The verdict also established several important principles in terms of national security trials, including that “illegal means” in the offense of subversion of State power is not limited to the use or threat of force, Lee added.

Lee pointed out that a key step of the scheme was to obtain a majority in the legislature and indiscriminately vote down the government’s budget through the so-called “primary election”, and then compel the government to accede to their demands.

The ruling shows that the risk of endangering national security is real and that criminals will use pretexts to commit acts that endanger national security, Lee said

The scheme planned to disrupt lawmakers’ constitutional duties stipulated in Article 73 of the Basic Law, including examining and approving the budgets introduced by the government and public expenditures, he noted.

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The ruling shows that the risk of endangering national security is real and that criminals will use pretexts to commit acts that endanger national security, Lee said.

He warned Hong Kong people to remain vigilant against national security threats and thereby prevent Hong Kong from suffering such chaos again.

A society must have a safe and stable environment before it can strive for economic development and well-being of the people, Lee added.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com