With the clock ticking amid geopolitical complexities, the Legislative Council's House Committee will hold a special meeting on Thursday to fast-track national security subsidiary legislation, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said.
The subsidiary legislation, which empowers the Chief Executive to issue a certificate determining "other offenses endangering national security under the law of the HKSAR", was gazetted on Tuesday (Jun 9) and came into effect immediately.
In a letter to the House Committee, Tang highlighted the national security risks facing Hong Kong amid current geopolitical tensions, stressing that the government has a duty to complete the legislative work as soon as possible.
"Every day counts in safeguarding national security," Tang wrote, expressing gratitude for the full support and cooperation of lawmakers.
He noted that both the Panel on Security and the Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services have already held a joint meeting to discuss the related legislation, given its urgency.
He stated that the subsidiary legislation follows the "positive vetting procedure" and was laid before LegCo on Wednesday (Jun 10) to seek approval.
To drive the legislation forward at full speed, he expressed hope to continue gaining support from LegCo in enhancing enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security.
