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2023
The Security Bureau said it strongly opposes the National Taiwan University Graduate Students Association’s unfounded and false accusations against Police's law enforcement actions today. The bureau condemned the association for disregarding the facts, confusing right and wrong, and attempting to shift the focus by smearing the force’s lawful actions. All law enforcement actions taken by law enforcement agencies are based on evidence, strictly according to the law and for the acts of the people or organisations concerned, and have nothing to do with their political stance or background, the bureau reiterated. It stressed that Hong Kong is governed by the rule of law where laws must be observed and lawbreakers will be held to account in accordance with the law, adding that no one is above the law. Hong Kong residents enjoy the rights and freedoms under the Basic Law, the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and other relevant laws. The Hong Kong National Security Law clearly stipulates that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the rights and freedoms, including the freedom of speech, Hong Kong residents enjoy under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights as applied to Hong Kong shall be protected in accordance with the law. However, members of the public must abide by the law, not affect social order and maintain national security when exercising these freedoms, the bureau added.
Chief Executive John Lee said he is saddened by the murders that took place at a shopping centre last night and he extended his deep condolences to the families of the two deceased. Mr Lee made the statement following the murder case that happened at Plaza Hollywood in Diamond Hill on the evening of June 2. Apart from explaining that Police have arrested the suspect and will spare no effort in investigating the case, the statement pointed out that this is an individual case. It added that Police and various law enforcement agencies will continue to strive to maintain law and order in Hong Kong. Furthermore, staff from the Social Welfare Department have contacted the families of the deceased and the suspect and will render assistance. Noting that the people may feel uneasy and worried, especially as videos of the incident were widely circulated online, Mr Lee urged everyone in the community to stop sharing the videos. He encourages people to extend care to family members and friends. The public is advised to seek professional support if they experience any emotional distress. People may call the Social Welfare Department's 24-hour hotline 2343 2255 for assistance, which provides immediate telephone counselling, support and referral services. Those in need may also phone the Hong Kong Red Cross at 5164 5040. The department will also set up a mobile service counter near the scene of the incident to provide support for those suffering from emotional distress. The mobile service counter will be set up outside Exit C2 of MTR Diamond Hill Station, ie the open area at the Public Transport Interchange outside the entrance of Plaza Hollywood. Its operation hours will be from 11.45am to 6pm. The service counter will distribute pamphlets on handling emotional distress. The department's clinical psychologists will also provide on-site emotional counselling for those in need.
Police arrested four people after noticing that some individuals were displaying protest items that contained seditious wordings, chanting and committing unlawful acts in the vicinity of Causeway Bay since the afternoon of June 3. Police announced the arrests in a statement and explained that upon investigation, they arrested the four individuals on suspicion of disorder in public places and doing an act or acts with seditious intention. Additionally, four other people suspected of breaching public peace were brought to the police station for further investigation. Police stressed that they are highly concerned about people attempting to incite and provoke others to commit illegal acts that endanger national security, public order and public safety. Police added that they will continue to step up patrols and enhance intelligence-gathering, closely monitor the situation of various districts and strive to prevent and combat crimes.
Police today laid a holding charge against a 23-year-old woman with one count of doing an act or acts with seditious intention on January 1 this year. She was arrested yesterday on suspicion of doing an act or acts with seditious intention and possessing seditious publications, contravening sections 9 and 10 of the Crimes Ordinance. The case will be mentioned at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts this afternoon.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam concluded his visit to Beijing today by calling on State Council Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office Director Xia Baolong. Mr Lam reported to Mr Xia Hong Kong's latest rule of law developments, noting that the Department of Justice will continue to fully and faithfully implement the "one country, two systems” principle. It will also continue to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and further capitalise on Hong Kong's unique advantages as the only common law jurisdiction in the country to leverage its strengths to meet the country's need and proactively integrate into the overall development of the nation, he added. On May 31, Mr Lam attended an annual exchange session with the Ministry of Justice, meeting Minister of Justice He Rong to discuss the further alignment and harmonisation of legal rules in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the pilot measures for Hong Kong and Macau’s legal practitioners to practise in the bay area and the arrangements concerning legal talent exchanges and training. He visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the same day to meet Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Deng Li for an annual exchange meeting with Director-General of the ministry’s Department of Treaty & Law Ma Xinmin. Yesterday, the justice chief called on the Ministry of Commerce to meet Vice Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping and attended an annual meeting with the ministry’s Department of Treaty & Law Director-General Li Yongjie. Mr Lam then met Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) Research Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee & Macao Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee Director Yang Zhaoye and NPCSC Legislative Affairs Commission Administrative Office Director Sun Zhenping. Mr Lam returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.
Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang said the Mainland Offices of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (MOs) regularly disseminate useful information aimed at helping Hong Kong residents in the Mainland to understand policies and legislation there. Mr Tsang made the remarks today as he replied to legislators' questions about enhancing citizens' knowledge and understanding of the Mainland’s legal regime, laws and regulations. He explained that with the Hong Kong SAR Government's commitment to promoting further integration into the overall development of the country, more Hong Kong people will go to Mainland cities for education, employment, doing business and living. As a result, the MOs have been disseminating practical information on Mainland policies, laws and regulations and social situations to Hong Kong residents in the Mainland on a regular basis. The offices have also been organising trade seminars and business exchange activities to keep Hong Kong's major industry and trade organisations as well as its residents and enterprises in the Mainland informed of the latest policies, legislation and measures there. Relevant information has been uploaded onto the websites and social media platforms of respective MOs for public browsing. In addition, Mr Tsang pointed out that the Practical Guide for Hong Kong People Living in the Mainland, produced by the MOs, contains useful information on points to note for living in the Mainland and other information including the legal system and services there. The practical guide is also available on the MOs' websites.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam today called on the Supreme People's Procuratorate and the National Development & Reform Commission to exchange views with senior officials of the ministries and authorities on issues of mutual interest. On the second day of his visit to the capital, Mr Lam and the officials in his entourage called on the Supreme People's Procuratorate this morning to meet Procurator-General Ying Yong to discuss the strengthening of legal exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland. They also discussed the implementation of the Record of Meeting of the Supreme People's Procuratorate & the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s Department of Justice on Exchanges & Co-operation on Legal Matters, so as to strengthen the training for the staff of both sides, and to share their work experiences. Other important issues were also examined. In the afternoon, Mr Lam met National Development & Reform Commission Deputy Director Cong Liang to discuss and exchange views on topics including advancing Hong Kong's status as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, participating in and contributing to the country's Belt & Road Initiative work plan, and developing Hong Kong into a training base for the country's talent in the practice of foreign-related legal affairs. On the first day of his visit, the justice chief called on the Supreme People's Court and met its President Zhang Jun to have an in-depth discussion on topics including enhancing mutual legal assistance between the Mainland and Hong Kong, deepening the legal systems' connectivity within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and promoting the nurturing of the country's talent in the practice of foreign-related legal affairs, and to consider concrete implementation work. Mr Lam also visited the State Council’s State-owned Assets Supervision & Administration Commission and met its Vice Chairman Weng Jieming to explore implementing measures to better utilise the advantages of Hong Kong's common law system and setting up exchange mechanisms, with a view to enabling state-owned enterprises to have a better understanding of Hong Kong's legal system and dispute resolution services. Both sides also discussed ways to contribute to the country's cultivation of a team of foreign-related legal talent. In addition, Mr Lam met National Supervisory Commission Deputy Director Zhang Fuhai to explore further strengthening the legal exchange, co-operation and staff training between the two places on important issues including anti-corruption and anti-money laundering.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam will depart tomorrow for a five-day visit to Beijing, the Department of Justice announced today. Mr Lam will call on the Legislative Affairs Commission and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the National Supervisory Commission, the Ministry of Justice, the National Development & Reform Commission, the State-owned Assets Supervision & Administration Commission of the State Council, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. The meetings aim to strengthen exchanges and co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong on legal and dispute resolution services, in order to fully leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under “one country, two systems”, contributing to the promotion of the rule of law development of the country and the city. Mr Lam will return to Hong Kong on June 2. During his absence, Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan will be Acting Secretary.
The 2023 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination (GBA Examination) was successfully held in Hong Kong and Zhuhai today. Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said: “We hope that the GBA Examination can be converted from a pilot scheme to a regular examination such that in the future, more Hong Kong legal practitioners will obtain practice qualification to provide legal services in the nine Mainland municipalities in the bay area on specified civil and commercial matters to which the Mainland laws apply. “These lawyers with dual qualification will, in the course of their practice in the bay area, co-operate with their Mainland counterparts and share their respective experiences and collaborate in resolving cross-jurisdictional legal issues. “This is conducive to accelerating the nurture of talent in international legal affairs in the bay area, deepening the alignment and harmonisation of rules and mechanisms in civil and commercial matters in the bay area as well as facilitating the integration of Hong Kong legal practitioners into national development.” The Department of Justice thanked the Examinations & Assessment Authority for its efforts in ensuring that the GBA Examination could be successfully held in Hong Kong.
Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung today led members of the Security Bureau Youth Uniformed Group Leaders Forum on a three-day innovation and technology study tour in the Greater Bay Area. The study tour covers visits and exchange programmes in Dongguan and Shenzhen for the youths to learn about the country’s developments, understand national affairs and broaden their horizons, the bureau said. In the morning, Mr Tang and over 20 members of the leaders forum arrived in Dongguan and toured the Humen Fort and the Naval Battle Museum before attending a seminar organised by leaders of the Dongguan Municipal Government. Noting that it was the leaders forum’s first activity outside Hong Kong, Mr Tang said the members will be able to study the country’s significant developments in different aspects. The security chief and youth leaders called on Huawei’s research institute in Songshan Lake in the afternoon, to learn about the firm’s research, training and development. The group also visited the Songshan Lake Hong Kong-Macao Youth Innovation & Start-up Base and were briefed by young people from Hong Kong and Macau on their experiences in starting a business and career development plans in the Mainland. In the evening, they visited the China Resources (Holdings) Company to understand its diverse development. In the coming two days, the group’s itinerary includes calling on the headquarters of BYD and Tencent in Shenzhen, a tour of Shenzhen University, and a visit to the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation & Entrepreneur Hub. The group will also go to the Shenzhen Reform & Opening-up Exhibition Hall, the OH Bay and the MixC World to learn about the Mainland’s different facets, the bureau added.