HKMAO Slams "Security Is Done" Rhetoric as Harmful

Beijing's top office for Hong Kong affairs is pushing back against the idea that the city's security work is finished. The website of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) reposted a commentary published in Ta Kung Pao on Thursday (20 August) under the byline "Gong Zhiping." The piece is titled "Hong Kong's Progression from Chaos to Order and from Order to Prosperity Is a Coherent and Unified Process," part of the series "Safeguarding Hong Kong's High-Quality Development with High-Level Security."

HKMAO reposted Ta Kung Pao's "Gong Zhiping" commentary on Thursday.

The commentary speaks highly of the SAR Government's work. It stresses that development and security are like "the two wings of a bird or the two wheels of a cart." The two must complement and reinforce each other. There is no place for the one-sided claim that "security work is done and we can focus single-mindedly on development."

The Ta Kung Pao article opens with a pointed question. It quotes a number of Hong Kong people of insight who recently raised a serious issue in exchanges on various occasions. As Hong Kong now moves from chaos to order and from order to prosperity, some say the city's work to safeguard national security is more or less done. The next step, they say, is to devote itself single-mindedly to the economy and development.

Such remarks tear "from chaos to order" and "from order to prosperity" apart and set security against development. Are they not one-sided, or even harmful? Or do they carry some other purpose? Citing the questions raised by these people of insight, the author argues that they must be clearly and thoroughly addressed.

"From chaos to order to prosperity" is one continuous whole.

Two Wings of a Bird, Two Wheels of a Cart

The Ta Kung Pao article points out that Hong Kong's progression "from chaos to order" toward "from order to prosperity" is a historical whole carried forward in one continuous vein. The main theme running through it from beginning to end is "coordinating development and security, taking security as the prerequisite for development and development as the guarantee for security."

The article stresses that development and security are "like the two wings of a bird or the two wheels of a cart, complementing and reinforcing each other." As circumstances change, "one wing or one wheel may become more prominent and bear more weight at a given moment. But that by no means implies that the other wing or wheel stops moving or turning. Were that the case, the bird could not fly and the cart could not move. As for when which wing or wheel should be more prominent and bear more weight, that depends on the actual circumstances."

In other words, "from chaos to order" is not solely about security, and "from order to prosperity" is not solely about development. Security and development, "righting wrongs" and "invigorating governance," are interwoven and fused throughout Hong Kong's entire journey from chaos to order, and onward from order to prosperity.

The Ta Kung Pao article makes a blunt case: "building a secure environment is creating the conditions for development." During the 2019 extradition bill turmoil, Hong Kong faced its gravest situation since the handover. "Hong Kong independence" ran rampant, black-clad violence raged, and "mutual destruction" (laam chau) tactics swept the city.

Hong Kong was battered beyond recognition and left in ruins. "One Country, Two Systems" was nearly destroyed in one fell swoop. "Without security, how could there be any talk of development?"

Order Restored, Development Never Shelved

Fortunately, at that critical moment, the Central Authorities enacted the Hong Kong National Security Law and improved the SAR's electoral system. These moves effectively defused the major and imminent threats to national security and reversed Hong Kong's chaos in one stroke. The SAR subsequently completed its Article 23 legislation under the Basic Law, building a solid barrier for safeguarding national security. Hong Kong bid farewell to turmoil and unrest, restored order and vitality, and its business environment has continued to improve.

The article also notes that while stepping up security work, the SAR Government has "never for a moment shelved the development agenda." With the support of the Central Authorities and the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong emerged smoothly from the pandemic. GDP has grown for 14 consecutive quarters.

The city's status as an international financial, shipping and trade center has been consolidated and enhanced. The building of an international innovation and technology hub has accelerated. The drive to "grab talent and grab enterprises" has yielded remarkable results. Livelihoods, labor, welfare, health and education have all continued to improve.

All this shows that "grasping security and grasping development are not two processes alternating one after the other, but two aspects of the same process."

The Message: Stay the Course

The Ta Kung Pao article concludes on a warning note. As changes unseen in a century unfold at an accelerating pace, the world is entering a new period of turbulence and transformation. Hong Kong's accelerated development places higher demands on security. The city must "grasp both safeguarding security and promoting development, and grasp both firmly." Only by consolidating the gains of "righting wrongs" and strengthening the momentum of "invigorating governance" in tandem can Hong Kong ensure long-term prosperity and stability, and ensure that "One Country, Two Systems" advances steadily and goes far.

An insider said this Ta Kung Pao article is highly significant. It forcefully rebuts the "security is done, focus single-mindedly on development" rhetoric. It directly brands as one-sided, and even "harmful," the view that Hong Kong's national security work is "more or less done" and should give way to "single-minded focus on the economy."

The article also quotes Hong Kong people of insight who question whether such arguments "carry some other purpose." The issue is clearly not that simple.

The article rebuts the "security is enough" theory on three levels. The HKMAO's reposting of the article is clearly targeted. The aim is to refute the fallacy of setting "security" against "development."

High praise for advancing security and development in parallel.

On the other hand, it is worth noting that the article gives high affirmation to the SAR Government's work and to Hong Kong's economic development achievements. In particular, it affirms that the current-term government has advanced "security" and "development" in parallel. This creates a favorable public opinion environment for the continuity of its governance. The core message it conveys is that "the current course is correct and must be upheld."

The insider believes the HKMAO's republication of the article shows that its views accurately reflect the attitude of the Central Authorities. This merits close attention.

Ariel

** 博客文章文責自負,不代表本公司立場 **

The National Security Department of the Police Force launched an enforcement operation on October 6. Officers arrested a man and a woman in Kwun Tong District and Tsim Sha Tsui District respectively, both aged 38.

The arrested persons are suspected of violating Section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, namely the offence of "doing an act with a seditious intention." Sources indicate that the arrested man is Wong Ka-ho, a former member of the localist group "North District Dynamic." The other arrested person is his girlfriend.

It is understood that during the black violence period, someone set up a social media page named "YellowInsurance," covering platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. While promoting insurance business, the page repeatedly published posts supporting the black violence and expressing solidarity with "brothers and sisters."

It also spread messages smearing the Central Authorities and the SAR Government, promoting "Hong Kong independence," and attempting to incite public hatred toward the Central Authorities and the SAR Government.

After the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, this page shifted to continuously inciting through "soft resistance" tactics. It used hashtags or so-called "acrostic poems" and other obscure "edge ball" forms to disseminate anti-China and pro-riot messages and incite "Hong Kong independence." It also promoted the black violence song "Glory to Hong Kong," various yellow shops, and participation in the "yellow economic circle" mobile application "Punish Mee," in an attempt to imperceptibly poison the general public.

Using hashtags or so-called "acrostic poems" and other obscure forms to disseminate messages. (Online image)

The page involved claimed that it could arrange various types of insurance for customers, yet did not disclose the identity of the person in charge or the relevant licence status. An insider's analysis pointed out that this operating method lacked transparency.

The page imitated the operating model of the "yellow economic circle" and hinted in its posts that it was run by anti-government "yellow people," thereby using the political halo to attract yellow-camp consumers to take out insurance through its platform and earn insurance commissions for profit.

Sources say the two arrested individuals are suspected of managing these pages. Wong Ka-ho claimed to work as a financial adviser at a local investment company and holds an insurance intermediary licence. The arrested girlfriend does not work in the insurance industry and does not hold an insurance intermediary licence, and is suspected of having been instigated by Wong Ka-ho to help manage social media.

Under the Insurance Ordinance, selling insurance without a licence or taking part in related regulated activities is a criminal offence. That includes making applications or providing advice on insurance contracts.

Founded in 2015, "North District Dynamic" repeatedly launched and joined protests against parallel traders. Wong Ka-ho was active in those activities and ran in the District Council election that same year for "North District Dynamic", but the pro-democracy camp at the time accused him of "splitting the vote".

In November 2016, Wong and several former members of Demosisto and the League of Social Democrats joined a march against the NPC's interpretation of the Basic Law. He was later arrested for surrounding the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government building and throwing hard objects at police.

In March 2020, Wong Ka-ho and Lui Chi-hang, one of those convicted in the "35+ subversion case", went to MTR Fanling Station to disrupt a signature street booth organized by citizens in "support of Article 23 legislation". The move triggered a pushing and shoving incident involving more than 20 people from both sides.

Reports at the time said Wong and his associates livestreamed the process online during the incident and afterwards shared photos of their own injuries online to court sympathy, and were accused of premeditation.

The "yellow economic circle" broadly refers to the economic activities of so-called "mutual support among brothers and sisters" initiated by some anti-China, destabilizing elements after the 2019 black violence. A senior figure pointed out that in essence it is about amassing wealth by inciting hatred and social confrontation, which both endangers national security and damages Hong Kong's economy and prosperity and stability.

After the Hong Kong National Security Law took effect, the forces concerned still hide in the community, poisoning the public through "soft resistance" to seek private gain, planting major hidden dangers for Hong Kong's long-term stability and prosperous development.

According to records, many people who took part in anti-government activities during the 2019 black violence hoped to profit through the "yellow economic circle".

For example, Chu Kong-wai is suspected of promoting MPF schemes without an MPF intermediary licence. He marketed MPF consolidation schemes on social platforms and through other channels as a "financial adviser", calling on "brothers and sisters" to let his team manage their MPF accounts and claiming they could obtain ideal returns. He was criticized for disregarding clients' potential financial losses.

Chu was attached to Manulife senior branch manager Lee Chun-wah. Before entering the insurance industry, Lee had been a male PE teacher at a secondary school, during which time he associated with a 14-year-old underage girl and once sat on the back of a half-naked girl to take photos, involving indecency toward an underage girl.

He was later revealed to possess nearly a hundred pornographic photos and videos of another girl at the school. He was ultimately convicted on two counts of committing indecent acts against a child under 16 and possession of child pornography.

Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung mentioned in a radio program a few days ago that Hong Kong currently still faces four major national security risks. They include smearing by external forces, local terrorist activities, those who have absconded overseas continuing to advocate "Hong Kong independence", and hidden "soft resistance". He said bluntly that the most evil thing is "soft resistance", because it may not be very obvious.

The expert points out that this case proves the national security risks from "soft resistance" still exist. The acts in the case are suspected of violating "doing an act with a seditious intention," a serious offence that carries a maximum penalty of 7 years' imprisonment on first conviction.

The expert believes the police will continue to ensure that laws are observed and strictly enforced and that lawbreakers are prosecuted. The force will effectively prevent, stop and punish any acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law.