HKMAO amplifies Ta Kung Pao series: Security is Hong Kong's edge

Ta Kung Pao recently published a series of commentaries under the byline "Gong Zhiping" over three consecutive days. The series, titled "Safeguarding Hong Kong's High-Quality Development with High-Level Security," was reposted on the website of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) for three days running, drawing public attention.

The Ta Kung Pao articles point out that, at present, the HKSAR Government and all sectors of society are more clear-eyed, more conscious and more resolute in coordinating development and security, and in safeguarding the new development paradigm with a new security architecture.

Chief Executive John Lee has led the SAR's executive, legislative and judicial authorities in firmly discharging the constitutional responsibility of safeguarding national security, continuously consolidating the bedrock of high-level security for high-quality development.

Under the protection of security, Hong Kong's development momentum is growing ever stronger and its pace ever faster. Security has become an advantage for Hong Kong's development. The full text of the article follows:

Hong Kong's journey from chaos to order, and from order to prosperity, proclaims a simple truth: only with security every step of the way has there been development every step of the way. Security is not a "tightening spell," the incantation in Journey to the West that constricts the Monkey King's headband. It is a "protective talisman" and a "booster." Security not only provides the most solid foundation for development, it also creates new dividends for development.

Today, the HKSAR Government and all sectors of society are more clear-eyed, more conscious and more resolute in coordinating development and security, and in safeguarding the new development paradigm with a new security architecture.

Chief Executive John Lee has led the SAR's executive, legislative and judicial authorities in firmly discharging the constitutional responsibility of safeguarding national security. In doing so, they continuously consolidate the bedrock of high-level security for high-quality development.

The SAR made history in completing the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law. The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance was passed unanimously by the Legislative Council and, together with the Hong Kong National Security Law, has built a solid shield for safeguarding national security in the SAR. The principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" has been fully implemented, and the power of governance in the SAR remains firmly in the hands of patriots.

The Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR has earnestly shouldered its principal responsibility for safeguarding national security and strengthened overall coordination. The SAR's law enforcement, prosecution and judicial departments have been fearless and faithful to their duties, cracking down on acts endangering national security in accordance with the law.

The many patriotic groups and individuals who love the country and Hong Kong have carried forward their fine traditions, waging a resolute struggle against words and deeds that undermine, vilify and disrupt Hong Kong. When hostile forces at home and abroad launch attacks and smears in the arena of public opinion, the SAR Government responds with timely and forceful exposure, criticism and rebuttal.

As for the anti-China elements bent on disrupting Hong Kong who fled overseas and continued to flagrantly violate the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force has lawfully placed them on the wanted list. Measures have been applied against them as specified absconders.

The SAR Government and all sectors of society have also worked hard to advance national security education. They have held the "April 15 National Security Education Day" events year after year, opened a permanent National Security Exhibition Gallery, and brought national security education into schools, communities and the grassroots. Particular emphasis goes to strengthening such education for young people.

Hong Kong's legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security have been continuously improved, and its capabilities continuously strengthened. The truth that "only when the nation is secure can Hong Kong be secure, and only when the nation is secure can our homes be secure" has taken deep root in people's hearts. The whole of society has formed a mighty collective force for safeguarding national security.

Today, under the protection of security, Hong Kong's development momentum is getting better and better, and its pace faster and faster.

A few examples suffice to give a glimpse. In 2025, Hong Kong retained its ranking as the world's freest economy, held firm as the world's third-ranked international financial center, and rose to fourth globally in talent competitiveness. In 2026, Hong Kong became the world's largest cross-boundary wealth management center and ranked second globally in the World Competitiveness Yearbook. The economy grew 5.9% in the first quarter of 2026, and the SAR Government recently raised Hong Kong's full-year growth forecast from the previously projected 2.5%-3.5% to 3.5%-4.5%.

More encouraging still, Hong Kong is now working at full throttle on the SAR's first-ever five-year plan, painting a bright blueprint for the city's future development. The SAR Government and all sectors of society are earnestly implementing the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important instructions and proactively aligning with the country's 15th Five-Year Plan. They are upholding and refining the executive-led system, better combining a proactive government with an efficient market, and actively recognizing change, adapting to change and seeking change.

This amounts to forward-looking, science-based and systematic planning for Hong Kong's high-quality development in the new stage.

Strong consensus has been forged, and forceful measures proposed, on a range of priorities. These include highlighting the Northern Metropolis as a key focus, using the university town as a lever to drive the integrated development of education, technology and talent, and consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong's status as an international financial, shipping and trade center.

The priority list also includes accelerating the building of an international innovation and technology hub, creating a magnet for high-caliber global talent, and improving people's livelihoods across the board, in particular resolving the housing problem and bidding farewell to subdivided flats and "cage homes."

Hong Kong's development direction is now clearer, and its bright prospects more distinct.

Today, the international community and global investors increasingly agree that Hong Kong is a "safe harbor," and that a "safe harbor" is a "harbor of development." Security has become an advantage for Hong Kong's development. All objective and rational observers can see it plainly: Hong Kong safeguards national security so that the city can develop better, so that its residents can live better lives, and so that investors' lawful rights and interests can be better protected.

Overseas investors have repeatedly said that Hong Kong's safeguarding of national security has injected strong stability, certainty and sustainability into the market. A stream of international mega-events has been held in Hong Kong one after another. Friends from all over the world have come to the city to take part, casting a vote of confidence in Hong Kong.

In 2025, more than 2,700 single family offices were established in Hong Kong, over half of them with assets under management exceeding US$50 million. The number of companies in Hong Kong with parent companies located overseas or in the Chinese Mainland surpassed 11,000, a record high. Also in 2025, more than 31,000 foreign nationals were granted employment visas to work in Hong Kong, more than double the figure of five years ago.

Hong Kong now stands at a new starting point, ushering in its best period of development. The loftier the development goals and the brighter the vision, the less we can afford to slacken the taut string of security.

We must firmly establish the principle that development is an ironclad truth, and that security is no less so. We must do well in both pursuing high-quality development, the foremost task, and safeguarding national security, the matter of paramount importance.

By truly safeguarding high-quality development with high-level security, Hong Kong will surely stride steadily and surely along the broad road from order to prosperity. The city will shine with even greater splendor on the great journey of building a strong nation and realizing national rejuvenation.

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.