A screen shows Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor as she delivers her fourth Policy Address at the Legislative Council, Hong Kong, Nov 25, 2020. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Wednesday said the National Security Law for Hong Kong has been “remarkably effective” in restoring stability since its enactment over four months ago. 

In her fourth Policy Address, she took note of the positive changes in the city as living embodiments of the law’s effectiveness. 

After a year of social unrest with fear for their personal safety, Hong Kong people can again enjoy their basic rights and freedoms according to the law, Lam continued. 

Lam noted that advocacies of “Hong Kong independence” and collusions with external forces have progressively subsided; some of the prominent figures have kept a low profile; radical organizations have ceased operation or dissolved; those who are suspected of violating the law have absconded; and street violence hassignificantly declined. 

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After a year of social unrest with fear for their personal safety, Hong Kong people can again enjoy their basic rights and freedoms according to the law, CE Carrie Lam said 

The law outlaws four types of national security endangering acts, namely secession, subversion, terrorist activities and collusion with foreign or external forces. It was enacted on June 30 to plug the gaping hole in national security in Hong Kong after the city saw an escalationin violence and damage as well as opposition forces and organizations advocating “Hong Kong independence”.  

The opposition forces blatantly challenged the authority of the central government and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, pleaded for interference in Hong Kong’s affairs by external forces and even begged for sanctions against Hong Kong, Lam said.   

Meanwhile, foreign governments and legislatures have intensified their interference in Hong Kong’s affairs which are purely China’s internal affairs, severely jeopardizing our nation’s security, she added. 

Lam stressed that it is the constitutional responsibility of the HKSAR to safeguard our country’s sovereignty, security and development interests.

Article 23 of the Basic Law stipulates that Hong Kong shall enact laws on its own to prohibit specified acts and activities which endanger national security.  But it was yet to be completed 23 years after Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, she said. 

Over the past 23 years, from time to time, inadequate understanding of the Constitution and the Basic Law in the society have led to fallacies about the city’s political system, including the relationship between the central government and the HKSAR.

A correct handling of that relationship is also a key to uphold the “one country, two systems” and make it robust, Lam said. 

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Calling the past year or so “the most severe political challenges” since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, Lam stressed that the most pressing task for the city is to restore HKSAR’s constitutional order and political system from chaos

As chief executive, Lam said, she is required to comprehensively, accurately and firmly implement the “one country, two systems” principle and uphold the Basic Law.

Under the Basic Law, the chief executive is vested with a dual role as head of the executive authorities of the HKSAR, that is, the HKSAR Government, and that of the HKSAR representing the whole region.  

Lam stressed the “dual responsibility” of the chief executive for both the HKSAR and the central government.

According to the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s political structure is executive-led and under the leadership of the chief executive, who is accountable to the central government.

Under this framework, the powers of the executive authorities, the legislature and the judiciary are “individually positioned” with a division of work. There is no conflict between an executive-led system and an independent judiciary, Lam said. 

Calling the past year or so “the most severe political challenges” since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, Lam stressed that the most pressing task for the city is to restore HKSAR’s constitutional order and political system from chaos.

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To safeguard national security comprehensively, Lam pledged that the HKSAR government will strive to strengthen publicity and education to enhance Hong Kong people’s understanding of national security and law-abiding awareness.  

“We are drawing up relevant plans in accordance with Articles 9 and 10 of the National Security Law, and will make good use of the annual Constitution Day and National Security Education Day to conduct public education on a larger scale,” she said.