National Security Committee Supports Law Change: CE

Chief Executive John Lee said on Friday that the national security committee that he chairs supports the SAR in changing local laws over the issue of overseas lawyers taking part in security cases.

Lee said the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region supports amending the Legal Practitioners Ordinance, to ensure the issue is handled in an appropriate manner.

According to a recent interpretation by the National People's Congress Standing Committee, whether overseas lawyers who are not fully qualified to practise in Hong Kong should take part in national security cases is a matter that the courts need to get the approval from the chief executive.

In the event that the CE's consent was not sought, the interpretation stated, then it's a matter for the national security committee to judge.

"The Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR held a meeting in recent days to fully fulfil its obligations in a pro-active manner" as stipulated in the interpretation, Lee said in a social media post.

He stressed the obligations include advancing the development of the local legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security, studying the security developments here and making plans and formulating relevant policies, as well as co-ordinating major operations to safeguard national security.

Another obligation, Lee said, is to fully implement the responsibilities as stated in the interpretation of the national security law by the country's top legislature last month.

The SAR government had sought Beijing's interpretation after its opposition to Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai being represented by a British King's counsel was repeatedly rejected by Hong Kong courts.

Lee added that the SAR government will fully press ahead with efforts to enact local national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law as soon as possible.

The CE and other top local officials on Friday attended a seminar via video link where Xia Baolong, the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, told SAR authorities to revise local legislation to keep it aligned with the national security law.