Officials and guests of honor gather for a group photo at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday during the opening ceremony for a series of activities to promote national security. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - The central authorities are determined to swiftly and effectively counter any act endangering national security and the special administrative region’s stability and prosperity, the central government’s top official in Hong Kong said on Thursday.

Luo Huining, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said the central government will fully support the city’s institutions of power in their lawful crackdown on crimes that jeopardize national security. The individuals and institutions that have been subjected to threats and sanctions for safeguarding national security have the government’s full backing, he added.

Any attempt by foreign countries and external forces to flagrantly interfere in the affairs of Hong Kong, and to exploit the city as a pawn, will be met with impactful countermeasures.

Luo Huining, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in HKSAR

Luo made the remarks in a speech at the opening ceremony of National Security Education Day in Hong Kong.

READ MORE: Full text of Luo's speech on National Security Education Day

“Any attempt by foreign countries and external forces to flagrantly interfere in the affairs of Hong Kong, and to exploit the city as a pawn, will be met with impactful countermeasures,” said Luo, who is also the national security adviser to the HKSAR committee on national security.

This year’s seminar was the first education event that the committee has held since it was set up in early July. The committee, headed by SAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, was founded days after the National Security Law for Hong Kong took effect on June 30.

Luo said that both Hong Kong’s development and its people’s livelihoods are predicated on national security. 

Contrary to rumors about capital flight after the enactment of the National Security Law, Hong Kong’s aggregate balance rose to a four-year high, and some foreign media outlets have acknowledged that the law further stabilized Hong Kong’s markets and investment environment, he said.

The liaison chief cited analogies made by netizens who likened two strategic moves by the central authorities — enacting the National Security Law and improving Hong Kong’s electoral system — to the “sword” and “shield” that safeguard the social stability and the future of Hong Kong.

The National People’s Congress during this year’s two sessions approved a decision on improving the city’s electoral system. The Standing Committee of the NPC in late March adopted the amended Annex I and Annex II to the SAR’s Basic Law, which stipulate the rules of elections of the chief executive and members of the Legislative Council.

“It is safe to assume that with the ‘sword’ and ‘shield’ in place, the SAR now has acquired the necessary prerequisites for addressing deep-seated economic and livelihood issues,” he said.

Luo urged all sectors to proactively participate in the National Security Education Day events to reach a “safeguarding national security” consensus and build a fortified “steel wall” to defend the nation and the city.

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With the further enforcement of the National Security Law, an improvement of the electoral system, the implementation of the nation’s new 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), and the city’s better integration into the nation’s overall development, Luo said he’s confident that Hong Kong will enjoy an unprecedented level of security and stability, and will embrace a bright future.

kathyzhang@chiernadailyhk.com