Letter to Wall Street Journal (English only)
Editor
Wall Street Journal
Dear Editor,
We strongly refute your opinion piece "Hong Kong’s Latest Intimidation Targets"(July 23), which attempts to cast a spurious spin on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government’s legitimate right to enforce the law against people who endanger national security and continue such despicable acts in hiding.
Endangering national security is a serious crime that no government tolerates. All law enforcement actions taken by Hong Kong law enforcement agencies, including actions under the National Security Law (NSL), are based on evidence, and strictly in accordance with the law in respect of the acts of the persons or entities concerned.
The elements, penalties, mitigation factors and other consequences of the offences under the NSL are clearly prescribed in Chapter III of the NSL. For all types of the offences, proof of criminal intent is required. Therefore, we do not see how any entity, including businesses in their ordinary course of business, will in any way unwittingly commit the offences.
The rule of law is the bedrock of our society. Like many other jurisdictions, the HKSAR is duty bound to make every effort to apprehend and bring absconding offenders to justice, wherever they may be, for their alleged offences under the law.
Your politically biased scaremongering against the HKSAR and our country is reprehensible.
I would invite your readers to look at the positive response to recent overseas visits by our government officials, including the ongoing visit by our Chief Executive to several ASEAN Member States, to get the true picture. Hong Kong is widely revered as a safe and secure metropolis that is wide open to entrepreneurs and investors as well as families and holidaymakers from all corners of the world. And that’s a fact.
Yours faithfully,
Tang Ping-keung
Secretary for Security
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region