The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, and the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, met the media after attending a meeting of the Subcommittee on Two Items of Subsidiary Legislation Made under the Safeguarding Nati… read more
This year marked the 5th anniversary of the promulgation and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL). The Home Affairs Department today (May 15) held a seminar on the occasion for National Security Education District Tutors to further support district tutors to effectively promote national security education in the community and enhance public awareness of safeguarding national security.
The seminar was held in the Central Government Offices. Guests attending the event included the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan; the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; and the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk. Around 700 district tutors from the 18 Districts attended the seminar.
Addressing the seminar, Miss Mak said that as national security is closely related to everyone and is inseparable, the Government and all sectors in society need to safeguard national security together. Since the Government officially launched the National Security Education District Tutor Training Scheme in November last year, as of early April 2025, over 3 000 district tutors have completed the training and have disseminated messages on national security to over 120 000 individuals in the community. As important partners of the Government, district tutors have actively engaged with communities, schools, and people of all ages through a diverse range of activities and, by using vivid, accessible and innovative approaches, have disseminated important messages on national security. This helps the public understand more about and attach importance to national security.
Miss Mak hopes that through the seminar, all district tutors can further enhance their awareness of safeguarding national security and help disseminate related messages across various groups. Together, they will cultivate a strong foundation for national security education and patriotic values throughout the community.
In delivering a keynote speech titled “Hong Kong National Security Law Builds Fort for National Security and the Safety of Hong Kong”, Dr Cheung elaborated on the situation in Hong Kong since the implementation of the NSL, as well as the current national security risks faced by the city and the importance of enhancing national security education.
He stressed that “to forget war is to court disaster”, and pointed out that although the NSL, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, and other local laws have worked in concert to improve the legal framework for safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the actual risks of national security for both the country and the HKSAR are still there. Citing various examples from local and overseas, he reminded participants to continuously assess national security risks, enhance national security education, and strengthen national security awareness across all sectors of the community.
Mr Cheuk delivered a keynote speech on the current security risks in Hong Kong and elaborated on the Government’s response strategies, including adhering to the principle of “laws are observed and strictly enforced, so as to bring offenders to account”, strengthening intelligence gathering and law enforcement, promptly rebutting smears, optimising legal tools, and enhancing interdepartmental collaboration, as well as publicity and education. He encouraged district tutors to learn more about the Constitution, the Basic Law, and Hong Kong’s laws on safeguarding national security, and actively integrate into the country to recognise the close ties of the cultures of Hong Kong and the Mainland which share the same origin, distinguish right from wrong to debunk allegations and actions of “soft resistance” in the community, and promptly report suspected acts endangering national security to protect our home.
In addition, district tutors Miss Li Ka-ying and Mr Chu Wai-lam shared their valuable experiences in promoting national security education and raising public awareness of national security in the community. The two of them expressed that they will continue to serve as a connection between the Government and the community. By using their network, they can reach people from all walks of life and convey national security messages in a lively manner, thereby cultivating people’s sense of patriotism and jointly protecting their beautiful home – Hong Kong.
The Chief Executive proposed in the 2023 Policy Address to train tutors at the district level for promoting national security education in the community. The Government launched the National Security Education District Tutor Training Scheme in November 2024, aiming to strengthen community participation through the scheme, hoping that the scheme can actively encourage all citizens to understand a holistic approach to national security and the significance of safeguarding national security, thereby fostering a collective commitment to uphold it and ultimately building a safe and stable social environment.
The Hong Kong/Guangdong Expert Group on Co-developing a Smart City Cluster (EGSCC) convened its second meeting today (May 15) to continuously deepen co-operation between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Guangdong Province in smart city development.
The Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, and the Deputy Director-General of the Guangdong Provincial Administration of Government Service and Data, Mr Xiong Xiong, who co-chaired the meeting, reviewed the work progress and achievements of the Expert Group over the past year. They also discussed and exchanged views on the work plan for the coming year. During the meeting, Hong Kong and Guangdong jointly reviewed the following five work details for the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong smart city cluster, namely:
A 49-year-old incoming male driver was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and fined $1,000 at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts today (May 15) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Based on risk assessment and intelligence analysis, Customs officers and police officers of the Airport Police District mounted a joint anti-illicit cigarette operation on January 17 at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port and intercepted an inbound private car which was declared to be empty. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized about 30 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes from the hollow spaces of the doors, under the seats, in the centre console and the rear compartment. The driver was subsequently arrested and the private car was also seized. The estimated market value of the duty-not-paid cigarettes seized in the case was about $150,000 and the duty potential was about $99,000.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Customs will continue to combat cross-boundary smuggling activities with firm enforcement action.
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
A former director of Ace Technology Group Limited was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violating requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The former director was convicted earlier and was sentenced at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts today (May 15) to 200 hours’ community service. The former director was also ordered to pay the employees concerned an outstanding sum of about $439,000.
The company wilfully and without reasonable excuse contravened requirements of the EO, failing to pay two employees’ wages and payment in lieu of notice within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods and termination of employment contracts of about $306,000, and also failing to pay the awarded sums of about $439,000 within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT). The former director concerned was prosecuted and convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.
“The ruling will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have personal liability to ensure payment of wages and sums awarded by the LT or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board to employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO,” a spokesman for the LD said.
​”The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees’ statutory rights,” the spokesman added. read more