Five years ago, on June 30, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed the National Security Law for Hong Kong (NSL), which established the legal framework and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security, and empowered the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to fulfill its constitutional responsibility to safeguard national security.
Over the past five years, the NSL has had a significant deterrent and preventive effect, and Hong Kong has experienced a rare period of political stability, social tranquility, and effective governance since its return to the motherland in 1997. Under the guardianship of the NSL, it is well-nigh impossible for hostile forces at home and abroad to stir up trouble again to exploit the kind of opportunities created by the absence of national security laws in Hong Kong. It is no exaggeration to say that the NSL serves as an indispensable mechanism to ensure national security, the successful implementation of the “one country, two systems” policy, and the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.
For a long time, under the pernicious influence of “colonial education”, Western forces and local anti-China forces, many Hong Kong residents, especially young people, have had a weak and distorted sense of national identity. Not only is there a lack of awareness about safeguarding national security, but the term “national security” has become so politically sensitive that it has been tainted. Therefore, they lack awareness and vigilance against various words and deeds of hostile forces at home and abroad that endanger China’s national security, let alone criticize and fight against them. Since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, even though safeguarding national security is a clear constitutional requirement of the Basic Law for Hong Kong, hostile forces at home and abroad have successfully made many Hong Kong residents believe that Article 23 of the Basic Law is an “evil” law, which has delayed the completion of local legislation on national security protection according to Article 23 for many years, thus making the SAR a hidden danger and threat to China’s national security for a long time. The unprecedented bloody riots in 2019-20 fully exposed the mammoth damage caused to the country, the nation, and even to Hong Kong itself in the absence of national security laws in the SAR.
Looking to the future, especially the broader international environment, despite the US and its allies intensifying their efforts to contain China including the Hong Kong SAR, the hostile forces at home and abroad have less and less leeway to maneuver against Hong Kong. The political discourse in Hong Kong is firmly in the hands of patriots
From the perspective of safeguarding national security, the NSL has undoubtedly been effective in eradicating threats to national security and the city’s stability. However, to become and remain a stronghold of national security for a long time, Hong Kong residents must consciously and willingly fulfill their responsibilities and obligations to safeguard national security. For this reason, Hong Kong’s political culture must contain a strong awareness of the need to safeguard national security.
Happily, we have found that, over the past five years since the implementation of the NSL, awareness of safeguarding national security has been gradually integrated into Hong Kong’s political culture. As time passes, this awareness is expected to become more solid, and Hong Kong residents’ ability to safeguard national security will continue to strengthen. Faced with an increasingly turbulent and perilous international situation, the United States’ attempted all-around containment of China, and an increasingly severe national security situation, the transformation of the HKSAR’s political culture is timely.
In today’s Hong Kong, the term “national security” is frequently mentioned and quoted. It is no longer a “sensitive” or “scary” term. The issue of national security is commonly raised and discussed in Hong Kong society and the media. In the legislative, administrative, and daily work of the SAR government, “safeguarding national security” awareness has become an indispensable element. Government officials indefatigably alert society to the threats to national security.
In safeguarding national security, enterprises, social organizations, the media, schools, trade unions, and nongovernmental organizations are aware of and willing to assume their relevant responsibilities. Law enforcement and judicial agencies have a deeper understanding of national security. National security education has become a core part of national education and patriotism education, and is also a compulsory course for primary, secondary, and university students. Many residents have taken the initiative to report acts that may pose a threat to national security to the government. Since the implementation of the NSL, there have been very few cases of law violations, which is not unrelated to residents’ increased awareness of the importance of safeguarding national security. The Western and anti-China forces that attempt to use some national security cases to distort the facts and intimidate Hong Kong residents have little influence in Hong Kong society now. It is precisely because of this heightened awareness of and willingness to safeguard national security that Hong Kong smoothly completed the Article 23 legislation process last year, a feat that had previously seemed impossible. This has further strengthened Hong Kong’s legal system and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security, making them more encompassing and enabling the “one country, two systems” policy to be implemented fully and accurately in Hong Kong.
The NSL has played a crucial role in shaping changes in Hong Kong’s political culture. Over the past five years, the main content of the law has been widely publicized, reported, explicated, and discussed in Hong Kong society. A considerable number of residents have already gained a basic understanding of the concepts of “secession”, “subversion”, “terrorist activities”, and “collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security”. More importantly, the trials of essential cases involving violations of the NSL, especially the “47-people subversion case” and the “Jimmy Lai Chee-ying case” have been widely reported by the media, allowing many people to learn how the leaders of anti-China forces in the SAR conspired with Western politicians, officials and media to instigate and organize the malign plots and actions of the SAR’s successive political disturbances and social turmoil. As a result, they have a clearer understanding of the causes of unrest in Hong Kong since its return to the motherland, a new awareness of the national security situation and related issues, and a deeper understanding of the factors and forces that endanger national security and Hong Kong’s stability. The court cases have become the best teaching materials for national security education. They are alarming and make people realize that security and stability are not something to be taken for granted, and they must be forcefully and vigilantly safeguarded.
Over the past five years, the US and some of its allies have been stepping up their efforts to contain and isolate China. They oppose the promulgation and implementation of the NSL and have imposed “sanctions” on some central government and Hong Kong officials, as well as taken various unfriendly actions against the city, citing the security laws. They not only shelter those anti-China disruptors who fled overseas after violating the NSL, but also allow them to continue engaging in activities that endanger China’s national security and the HKSAR’s stability overseas. To contain China, the US and its allies have attempted to weaken the HKSAR’s value and role in the country’s development by undermining its prosperity and stability. All these have increasingly enabled Hong Kong residents to be aware of the significance and indispensability of safeguarding national security for their own interests. In short, the rapid changes in the international situation have helped to increase Hong Kong residents’ understanding and awareness of the NSL, and have further embedded the responsibility to safeguard national security into Hong Kong’s political culture.
Looking to the future, especially the broader international environment, despite the US and its allies intensifying their efforts to contain China including the Hong Kong SAR, the hostile forces at home and abroad have less and less leeway to maneuver against Hong Kong. The political discourse in Hong Kong is firmly in the hands of patriots.
The author is a professor emeritus of sociology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a consultant to the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
