National security officers in Hong Kong on Thursday warned of “zero tolerance” for acts interfering with or disrupting the city’s upcoming legislature poll, promising that offenders would be dealt with sternly.
A spokesperson at the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region criticized external forces and anti-China disruptors who attempt to destabilize Hong Kong, for covertly and overtly inciting a boycott of the election, and agitating for activities, online and offline, to disrupt Hong Kong under the guise of democracy and freedom.
The spokesperson stressed that electoral security is a crucial component of political power security in the SAR. It vowed to take a “zero tolerance” attitude and resolutely defend election security and maintain order, firmly supporting the SAR in fully and accurately implementing the HKSAR National Security Law, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, and other relevant legal statutes.
Since the election period began, the HKSAR government has been organizing election activities, such as forums, “lawfully and in an orderly manner”, with candidates actively promoting their political beliefs centered on economic development and improving livelihoods, engaging in rational debate, the spokesperson said.
Such broad enthusiastic participation and healthy competition allow the election to return to its essential purpose of selecting talented and capable individuals and fully showcasing the progress of Hong Kong's high-quality democracy.
“We will severely punish, in accordance with the law, behavior and activities that interfere with and disrupt the election and endanger national security, and will resolutely safeguard the smooth conduct of the election and protect Hong Kong's advancement of high-quality development through high-quality democracy,” the spokesperson said.
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This is the second recent statement in a week from the Office concerning the LegCo election, following a similar warning issued on Nov 14 against what it described as “attacks, smears, rumors, and slander” aimed at the poll.
“The election is a major event for Hong Kong society that is closely related to local residents,” said Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, in a Facebook post on Monday.
He urged voters to participate in the election.
“The election atmosphere is continuously heating up,” Lee wrote, as he called on voters to cast their ballots on Dec 7 to “elect capable and aspiring patriots who love the country and Hong Kong”.
Lee pledged to better implement the “patriots administering Hong Kong” principle to guarantee its smooth operation.
Contact the writer at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com
