Security chief: Loyalty check for future national security enforcers

Officers who join the police’s special team for enforcing the national security law will have to be tested for their loyalty to Hong Kong, secretary for security John Lee Ka-chiu said.

They should also share the same views on national security with authorities, Lee said.

This came after Lee said last Tuesday that the police will set up a new dedicated department to enforce the new national security law for Hong Kong, which will be led by police commissioner Chris Tang Ping-keung, and start running as the law takes effect in the SAR.

On a TV program yesterday, the security chief said that the police officers will be checked on their loyalty before joining the team to enforce the national security law for Hong Kong.

He said: “Officers should be loyal to Hong Kong, and understand their responsibility in safeguarding national security.”

“Members of the team should also fulfill requirements of authorities in terms of their views and philosophy regarding national security,” Lee said.

Officers will also be required to uphold confidentiality principles, while possessing strong analytical and intuition capability, according to Lee.

He emphasized the importance of keeping operations of the team confidential, “as the new department will be combating with very intelligent opponents, and they are good at keeping themselves as well as what they do under the dark.”

Lee also dismissed claims that enforcement means making arrests on the first day the law takes effect, as it is fulfilling legal responsibility by setting up the department to safeguard national security.