Latest news with #OfficeforSafeguardingNationalSecurity
The Star
16-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
China security office flexes new power with Hong Kong probe
The raids show Hong Kong's clampdown on dissent is still expanding, five years after President Xi Jinping imposed a security law on the city. -- PHOTO: REUTERS HONG KONG/BEIJING (Bloomberg): Beijing's national security office in Hong Kong carried out its first known joint operation with city officials, marking an expansion of China's direct law enforcement in the financial hub. Local authorities on Thursday night announced they were investigating a case of alleged foreign collusion with China's Office for Safeguarding National Security. The office interviewed six people after requesting the support of Hong Kong police using new powers granted last month, according to a statement. Hong Kong security officials searched the homes of six suspects, as well as the office of an organization, and seized evidence including bank documents and devices. The individuals were also required to surrender their travel documents. The suspects are accused of "collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security' from November 2020 to June 2024, the government said. The statement didn't reveal their identities. The raids show Hong Kong's clampdown on dissent is still expanding, five years after President Xi Jinping imposed a security law on the city to cement Communist Party control. Hong Kong officials this week banned a video game for the first time under security legislation, accusing it of advocating armed revolution. That came days after imprisoned former activist Joshua Wong was hit with a fresh security charge. The one-time poster child of the city's pro-democracy protest movement was due for release in early 2027, having served two-thirds of his current 56-month prison term. In response to a Bloomberg News inquiry, a spokesman for the Hong Kong government said it "strongly opposes to unfounded allegations and slandering remarks against the joint operation' without specifying the offending statements. No one has been arrested in the ongoing investigation, the person said in an emailed reply. Fast-Tracked The joint operation this week marked the first application of the Safeguarding National Security Regulation, which was fast-tracked into law to facilitate Chinese security personnel. While the Beijing-imposed security law allows mainland officials to assume jurisdiction in certain cases, the new measures bolstered that legal framework for China's security apparatus to operate directly within Hong Kong's common law system. The May 13 legislation, which took effect before being review by lawmakers, requires Hong Kong government departments and civil servants to provide "all necessary and reasonable assistance, facilitation, support, backing and protection' to the Chinese security officers upon request. The new rules also criminalize acts that could impede the China-run office's work, including disclosing details of its investigations, with penalties extending up to seven years in prison and fines. The Hong Kong government has signaled a continued emphasis on national security even as it vows to focus on supporting growth, which has been challenged by China's slowdown and an uncertain external environment. -- ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Straits Times
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
China security office flexes new power with Hong Kong probe
The raids show Hong Kong's clampdown on dissent is still expanding, five years after President Xi Jinping imposed a security law on the city. PHOTO: REUTERS BEIJING - Beijing's national security office in Hong Kong carried out its first known joint operation with city officials, marking an expansion of China's direct law enforcement in the financial hub. Local authorities on the night of June 12 announced they were investigating a case of alleged foreign collusion with China's Office for Safeguarding National Security. The office interviewed six people after requesting the support of Hong Kong police using new powers granted last month, according to a statement. Hong Kong security officials searched the homes of six suspects, as well as the office of an organisation, and seized evidence including bank documents and devices. The individuals were also required to surrender their travel documents. The suspects are accused of 'collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security' from November 2020 to June 2024, the government said. The statement didn't reveal their identities. The raids show Hong Kong's clampdown on dissent is still expanding, five years after President Xi Jinping imposed a security law on the city to cement Communist Party control. Hong Kong officials this week banned a video game for the first time under security legislation, accusing it of advocating armed revolution. That came days after imprisoned former activist Joshua Wong was hit with a fresh security charge. The one-time poster child of the city's pro-democracy protest movement was due for release in early 2027, having served two-thirds of his current 56-month prison term. In response to a Bloomberg News inquiry, a spokesman for the Hong Kong government said it 'strongly opposes to unfounded allegations and slandering remarks against the joint operation' without specifying the offending statements. No one has been arrested in the ongoing investigation, the person said in an emailed reply. Fast-tracked The joint operation this week marked the first application of the Safeguarding National Security Regulation, which was fast-tracked into law to facilitate Chinese security personnel. While the Beijing-imposed security law allows mainland officials to assume jurisdiction in certain cases, the new measures bolstered that legal framework for China's security apparatus to operate directly within Hong Kong's common law system. The May 13 legislation, which took effect before being review by lawmakers, requires Hong Kong government departments and civil servants to provide 'all necessary and reasonable assistance, facilitation, support, backing and protection' to the Chinese security officers upon request. The new rules also criminalise acts that could impede the China-run office's work, including disclosing details of its investigations, with penalties extending up to seven years in prison and fines. The Hong Kong government has signaled a continued emphasis on national security even as it vows to focus on supporting growth, which has been challenged by China's slowdown and an uncertain external environment. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Mint
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
China Security Office Flexes New Power With Hong Kong Probe
Beijing's national security office in Hong Kong carried out its first known joint operation with city officials, marking an expansion of China's direct law enforcement in the financial hub. Local authorities on Thursday night announced they were investigating a case of alleged foreign collusion with China's Office for Safeguarding National Security. The office interviewed six people after requesting the support of Hong Kong police using new powers granted last month, according to a statement. Hong Kong security officials searched the homes of six suspects, as well as the office of an organization, and seized evidence including bank documents and devices. The individuals were also required to surrender their travel documents. The suspects are accused of 'collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security' from November 2020 to June 2024, the government said. The statement didn't reveal their identities. The raids show Hong Kong's clampdown on dissent is still expanding, five years after President Xi Jinping imposed a security law on the city to cement Communist Party control. Hong Kong officials this week banned a video game for the first time under security legislation, accusing it of advocating armed revolution. That came days after imprisoned former activist Joshua Wong was hit with a fresh security charge. The one-time poster child of the city's pro-democracy protest movement was due for release in early 2027, having served two-thirds of his current 56-month prison term. In response to a Bloomberg News inquiry, a spokesman for the Hong Kong government said it 'strongly opposes to unfounded allegations and slandering remarks against the joint operation' without specifying the offending statements. No one has been arrested in the ongoing investigation, the person said in an emailed reply. The joint operation this week marked the first application of the Safeguarding National Security Regulation, which was fast-tracked into law to facilitate Chinese security personnel. While the Beijing-imposed security law allows mainland officials to assume jurisdiction in certain cases, the new measures bolstered that legal framework for China's security apparatus to operate directly within Hong Kong's common law system. The May 13 legislation, which took effect before being review by lawmakers, requires Hong Kong government departments and civil servants to provide 'all necessary and reasonable assistance, facilitation, support, backing and protection' to the Chinese security officers upon request. The new rules also criminalize acts that could impede the China-run office's work, including disclosing details of its investigations, with penalties extending up to seven years in prison and fines. The Hong Kong government has signaled a continued emphasis on national security even as it vows to focus on supporting growth, which has been challenged by China's slowdown and an uncertain external environment. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Mint
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Hong Kong Mulls Whether Beijing Should Handle Collusion Case
(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong's security chief said the city is working with Beijing to determine whether the mainland should take control of a suspected case of foreign collusion, a move that would expand China's influence on national security-related cases in the financial hub. Hong Kong authorities are investigating whether to invoke Article 55 of the city's national security law, said Secretary for Security Chris Tang on a Commercial Radio program on Saturday. Article 55 outlines the circumstances under which Beijing's Office for Safeguarding National Security can exercise jurisdiction over Hong Kong's national security cases. 'The office will need to ascertain whether there were any situations specified under Article 55,' said Tang. 'We need to understand and investigate whether these had happened.' The Hong Kong government didn't immediately respond to a request for comment outside of normal working hours. If the case is turned over to Beijing, it would also mark a turning point in how the city handles national security cases. The former British colony's independent courts and rule of law are often credited for its success as a financial capital. Tang's comments come in the wake of the first known joint operation carried out by Beijing's national security office in Hong Kong and city officials. Local authorities on Thursday night announced they were investigating a case of alleged foreign collusion with China's Office for Safeguarding National Security. Hong Kong security officials searched the homes of six suspects, as well as the office of an organization, and seized evidence including bank documents and devices. More stories like this are available on
RTHK
14-06-2025
- Politics
- RTHK
No arrests made from joint collusion probe: Chris Tang
No arrests made from joint collusion probe: Chris Tang Security chief Chris Tang was speaking on a radio programme. File photo: RTHK No one has so far been arrested in the first known joint operation between Beijing's office overseeing national security matters in Hong Kong and the local police force, Secretary for Security Chris Tang said on Saturday. The Office for Safeguarding National Security had requested assistance from the force's National Security Department for a probe into suspected collusion with foreign forces, including by arranging interviews with people involved in the case. "Those who were being interviewed could be suspects, or witnesses, or someone who could provide information. I want to emphasise that we have not arrested anyone so far," Tang told a Commercial Radio programme. The minister also noted that Beijing authorities were empowered under the city's home-grown security legislation to ask SAR officers for support, to determine if a situation was one of three exceptional circumstances laid out in Article 55 of the Hong Kong National Security Law. Article 55 of the law stipulates that the Office for Safeguarding National Security can exercise jurisdiction if a case is determined to be complex due to the involvement of a foreign country or external elements, or is considered a "serious situation" where the SAR government is unable to enforce to law effectively, or counter a "major and imminent threat to national security". "This time, we have helped to arrange some interviews. Under the current circumstances where Article 55 has not been invoked, the Hong Kong police are responsible for carrying out law enforcement," Tang said. "In order to determine whether there is such a situation, Beijing's office relied on our legal assistance, which was normal and reasonable." National security police recently warned that the mobile app "Reversed Front: Bonfire" has been deemed to be seditious and those who have downloaded it or provided funds to its developer may be in breach of the security legislation. The security chief said the app had shown the "viciousness of soft resistance", adding that it aimed to "corrupt the minds of young people".
