The National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force offered on July 3 a reward of HK$1 million ($128,000) for each of the eight fugitives, including three former legislators, wanted for endangering national security after a court approved the issuance of arrest warrants against them.

The enforcement action is a public declaration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government’s determination to bring to justice those fugitives who will bear lifelong legal liability. It reminds people of the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s high-profile move to put some police officers on the wanted list for their involvement in big corruption cases in the 1970s.

As Senior Superintendent Steve Li Kwai-wah pointed out, the crimes allegedly committed by those eight individuals are very serious, including lobbying for sanctions against Hong Kong officials, attempting to undermine Hong Kong’s status as an international financial center, subverting State power, and colluding with external forces to harm national security. The mugshots in the wanted poster are in black and white, delivering a clear message: “There is no room for sophistry between right and wrong.”

Although the extraterritoriality feature of the National Security Law for Hong Kong (NSL) allows its application globally, the Hong Kong Police Force does not have the power to enforce the law overseas. Some are skeptical of the prospects of successful arrests of the eight fugitives. Yet the enforcement action is not a “political show” nor a futile move, as some have suggested. In fact, the warrants are a strong deterrent to those who wish to aid the fugitives financially or other ways. And the police can also apply to the court to freeze the assets of the eight held in their own names or in others’ names in Hong Kong.

The National Security Department’s high-profile enforcement action against the eight individuals is an unequivocal declaration of the authority’s unwavering will to enforce the law and bring any offenders to justice

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The National Security Department’s high-profile enforcement action against the eight individuals is an unequivocal declaration of the authority’s unwavering will to enforce the law and bring any offenders to justice. It is also an essential move to safeguard national security and maintain the prosperity of the city. It is a clear statement to all that any act undermining national security will be severely punished according to the law. It demonstrates that the HKSAR government and Hong Kong residents have zero tolerance for actions endangering national security.

Two days later, on July 5, the National Security Department, in a carefully planned operation, arrested four people suspected of “conspiring with foreign or overseas forces to endanger national security”. The suspects are accused of running companies, social media platforms and mobile applications to raise funds for the wanted individuals, enabling the latter to continue with activities that pose a threat to national security.

READ MORE: CE: Police to hunt down wanted fugitives by all legal means

Protecting national security is a universal civic responsibility. To maintain long-lasting peace and stability, Hong Kong residents must remain vigilant against threats to national security and abide by the law.

The author, a former secretary for security, is a member of the Legislative Council and executive vice-chairman of the New People’s Party.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.