State Council body sends congratulations on inauguration of HK national security office

The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council has sent warm congratulations on the inauguration of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in Hong Kong and said it will fully support and cooperate with the office as it performs its duties.

The national security office was inaugurated on Wednesday as required by the newly promulgated national security law for Hong Kong, which was passed by China's top legislature and took effect on June 30.

Its main jobs are to analyze the security situation in Hong Kong, provide opinions and make proposals on major policies, oversee and guide the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government's assumption of duties, collect intelligence and handle some cases.

The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said in a statement issued on Wednesday that the new office in Hong Kong will be responsible for supervising, guiding, coordinating and supporting Hong Kong in safeguarding national security, as well as handling crimes against national security under certain circumstances.

It said the national security office has "glorious missions and heavy responsibilities" and it will firmly support the office and cooperate with it as it performs its duties.

The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office also said it will work closely with Hong Kong's national security committee, a local government agency set up recently that has been tasked with the main job of safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, as well as other local national security agencies to effectively prevent, suppress and punish acts that endanger national security.

Together they will fully protect the legitimate rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents, it said, adding that it hopes people from all sectors in Hong Kong will fully support the national security office, committee and other government agencies to jointly safeguard national sovereignty and development interests, maintain Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and ensure the steady progress of the "one country, two systems" principle.