Specification of absconders in respect of offences endangering national security and specification of measures applicable against relevant absconders under Safeguarding National Security Ordinance
The Secretary for Security exercised the powers conferred by sections 89(1) and 89(4) of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (6 of 2024) today (August 4) to specify 16 persons who are subject to warrants of arrest issued by the court for being suspected of having committed offences endangering national security outside the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and to specify the measures to be applied against the 16 relevant absconders by notices published in the Gazette. Details are set out in G.N. (E.) 43 of 2025 and G.N. (E.) 44 of 2025.
The 16 specified relevant absconders are male Ho Leung-mau Victor, female Chan Lai-chun, male Feng Chongyi, female Gong Sasha, male Ng Man-yan, male Tsang Wai-fan, female Chin Po-fun, male Ha Hoi-chun, Paul, male Hau Chung-yu, male Ho Wing-yau, male Keung Ka-wai, male Lam Tony, female Ng Agnes, male Wong Chun-wah, male Wong Sau-wo and female Zhang Xinyan. All of them have persistently engaged in acts and activities endangering national security outside the HKSAR.
The National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Forceannounced on July 25 that the above-mentioned 16 absconders and male Yuan Gong-yi, male Fok Ka-chi, male Choi Ming-da were put on the wanted list, with rewards offered in respect of each wanted person. These 19 absconders are suspected of committing offences under the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong National Security Law) by organising, establishing, or participating in, outside the HKSAR, a subversive organisation named the "Hong Kong Parliament".The court has, upon application by the Police, issued arrest warrants against these 19 persons at large.
Among the aforementioned fugitives, the Secretary for Security had already exercised powers conferred by section 89 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, in June and December 2024, to specify Yuan Gong-yi, Fok Ka-chi and Choi Ming-da as absconders and to specify the measures to be applied against them by notices published in the Gazette.
The following three measures are applicable to all 16 relevant absconders specified today: "Prohibition against making available funds etc. or dealing with funds etc.", "Prohibition against certain activities in connection with immovable property" and "Prohibition in connection with joint ventures or partnerships with relevant absconders"; while the measure of "Cancellation of HKSAR passports etc." is applicable to most relevant absconders. In addition, the measure of "Temporary removal from office of director" is applicable to individual relevant absconders. The offences endangering national security suspected to have been committed by the relevant absconders and the measures applied against the relevant absconders are detailed in the Annex.
A Government spokesperson stressed that, "These lawless wanted criminals are hiding in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, Thailand, China's Taiwan region, etc, and continue to blatantly engage in activities that endanger national security. They also intended to incite hatred through smear and slander against the Central Authorities and the HKSAR. We therefore have taken such measures to make a significant impact."
The Police remind members of the public that, except under the authority of a licence granted by the Secretary for Security, any person, whether directly or indirectly, making available any funds or other financial assets or economic resources to a relevant absconder (including the provision of funds to online platforms or dedicated pages established by the relevant absconders), or dealing with any funds or other financial assets or economic resources belonging to, or owned or controlled by, a relevant absconder; leasing, or otherwise making available, immovable property to a relevant absconder, or leasing immovable property from a relevant absconder; or establishing a joint venture, partnership or any like relationship with a relevant absconder, or investing in such a joint venture, partnership or any like relationship, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years. The Police will take strict enforcement action against the relevant offences. Members of the public are advised not to break the law.
The Secretary for Security has instructed the Police to sort out the relevant evidence for him to consider exercising the power under section 60 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance to prohibit the operation of the "Hong Kong Parliament" and the "Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union" in the HKSAR.
LegCo Secretariat releases Policy Pulse on "Unrivalled connectivity where sea meets sky: Consolidating Hong Kong's status as an international shipping centre and aviation hub"
The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The "Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China" explicitly supports Hong Kong in consolidating and enhancing its role as an international shipping centre and aviation hub. The Legislative Council (LegCo) fully supports the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in formulating Hong Kong's first five-year plan to proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan. Members have long attached great importance to and discussed the ways to enhance Hong Kong's overall competitiveness in its dual-hub role. In this connection, LegCo Secretariat (the Secretariat) today (May 12) released a Policy Pulse on "Unrivalled connectivity where sea meets sky: Consolidating Hong Kong's status as an international shipping centre and aviation hub" to provide a concise overview of the initiatives on consolidating this dual-hub role. It also summarises the relevant discussions in LegCo and suggestions by Members.
The Policy Pulse points out that the SAR Government is leveraging the dual engines of high-end services and ultra-efficient network to advance the development of the maritime and aviation industries. On maritime, the Policy Pulse details three key strategies adopted by the SAR Government to build Hong Kong as a "global maritime capital": improving the ecosystem for high value-added maritime services, advancing green shipping and accelerating digitalisation.
At present, there are around 1 200 enterprises in Hong Kong providing high-end maritime services such as port and ship management, brokerage, financing, insurance and legal services. The Government plans to introduce a bill into LegCo in the first half of this year to enhance the tax concessions for the maritime service industry and provide half-rate tax concessions for physical commodity trading, with a view to further promoting the development of high value-added maritime services. The Government also plans to allow vessels to hold dual registration, so as to cater for the diverse operating models of international maritime enterprises.
Members suggested that, in addition to striving to put in place reciprocal tax exemption for shipping income with more countries and regions, the Administration should also leverage Hong Kong's existing advantages in arbitration, insurance and professional services to provide one-stop high-end support services (such as technical standard setting, accreditation, carbon finance, etc) for the local green shipping sector. Regarding the development of a smart port, LegCo's Finance Committee approved a funding of $215 million last year for the development and implementation of the Port Community System (PCS) to provide round-the-clock real-time cargo tracking services for industry stakeholders. Currently, more than 5 000 enterprises have registered to use PCS. On the other hand, Members expressed concern about the financial sustainability of PCS and suggested that competitive charging arrangements should be explored. They also stressed the importance of ensuring PCS to align effectively with similar smart port systems around the world and in the Mainland.
On aviation, the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is one of the world's most important aviation hubs. The Policy Pulse details the multiple development strategies formulated by the Administration. These include actively opening up flight destinations and proactively expanding traffic rights, as well as continuing to improve the intermodal network in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and attracting transit passengers, with a view to further strengthening Hong Kong's role as a bridge between GBA and the global aviation network.
Members urged the SAR Government to seek the support of the Mainland authorities for the inclusion of HKIA in the national civil aviation system and development strategy, and enabling Hong Kong to focus on areas such as global transit, high-end services and institutional innovation. Members also suggested that Hong Kong should use its cultural soft power to attract tourists and business travellers to fly via Hong Kong, and urged the Administration to systematically plan for iconic mega-events and cultural programmes with global influence.
In addition, to fully leverage the opportunities brought about by the Three-Runway System, the Airport Authority Hong Kong is taking forward two major development projects, namely the Airport City and the HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park (HKIALP). The Policy Pulse summarises Members' views on relevant projects. On the Airport City, Members suggested that, in addition to strengthening high-end professional services such as aircraft leasing as well as law and arbitration, high value-added ancillary facilities for art and valuables as well as yacht bay should also be further expanded. Meanwhile, the clearance procedures for high-end consumer groups should be streamlined. On the other hand, Members suggested that the Administration should guide various industries in dovetailing with the development opportunities presented by HKIALP, as well as apply its operational experience to more Mainland cities. The Government is also suggested to actively discuss with the Mainland customs authorities to establish fast tracks for clearance.
The detailed content of "Unrivalled connectivity where sea meets sky: Consolidating Hong Kong's status as an international shipping centre and aviation hub" is available on the LegCo Website. The Policy Pulse, published by the Council Business Divisions of the LegCo Secretariat, covers specific topics and offers a comprehensive overview of related policy developments and summarises key discussions in LegCo.
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