GBA cities unite at Hong Kong summit to protect 'southern gate' from narcotics

In a landmark move to combat evolving drug threats, narcotics officials from the Ministry of Public Security, Guangdong province and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions forged a new, unified front at a high-level summit in Hong Kong on Sept 5. They vowed to secure the nation's "southern gate" through enhanced intelligence sharing, joint law enforcement and targeted youth education.

Strengthened cooperation was a major focus of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Antidrug Summit held in Hong Kong by the Security Bureau's Narcotics Division and the Action Committee Against Narcotics, or ACAN — the Hong Kong SAR's non-statutory advisory body on anti-drugs policies.

Convened as part of ACAN's 60th anniversary commemoration, the summit marked a historic milestone — the first cross-regional anti-drug gathering since the release of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, also known as the Greater Bay Area (GBA). It brought together representatives from around 40 government agencies and community antidrug organizations from the GBA. Attendees included officials from Narcotics Control Bureau, Ministry of Public Security, Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department, Macao SAR Government's Judiciary Police, Social Welfare Bureau and Narcotics Control Committee, etc. With around 300 participants from the GBA and delegates from the Central Narcotics Bureau and National Council Against Drug Abuse of Singapore, the event underscored its broader regional significance and commitment to cross-boundary collaboration.

ACAN Chairman Dr Donald Li Kwok-tung said the 11-city GBA cluster in South China is inextricably linked and shares a common responsibility to guard against drugs.

"While Hong Kong has made progress with anti-drug work, it must not become complacent. Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao are inseparably linked, and they all bear the responsibility to safeguard their shared home, the GBA, from the harmful effects caused by drugs," he said.

Li endorsed the summit as a key forum for sharing intelligence and strategies to enhance law enforcement, and for facilitating exchanges about anti-drug work between NGOs and youth groups. "This is a promising start for regular, multi-level exchanges on various aspects of antidrug efforts."

Hong Kong's Commissioner for Narcotics, Kesson Lee, told China Daily that the summit raised narcotics control exchanges within the GBA to a new level, helping law enforcement across boundaries and enhancing operational efficiency.

"Previous cross-boundary collaboration and exchanges were often conducted on a case-by-case basis," he said, adding that the summit allowed these efforts to be systematized into a comprehensive framework, paving the way for deeper cooperation. "Agencies from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao explored ways to close the gaps created by differing laws and regulations, making it harder for criminals to exploit different legal systems."

On prevention, Lee highlighted the critical role of publicity and education. He added that joint youth-focused education initiatives, such as visits to the historic opium destruction site in Humen town, Dongguan, offer valuable learning experiences to young people. He also highlighted a commemorative book marking ACAN's 60 years of anti-drug advocacy in Hong Kong. He said the publication, which will be available in public libraries and schools, reviews the city's journey from a narcotics hotbed in the 1960s to its progress today, serving as a cautionary tale that such achievements are hard-won. "An electronic version is also accessible for public download," he added.

Mark Sou Sio-keong, deputy director of the Macao SAR Government's Judiciary Police, said he found the summit's focus highly practical. Key challenges include cross-boundary drug smuggling, new synthetic drugs and crypto-based narcotics crimes, he added, while shared insights from the event will be crucial for updating Macao's enforcement strategies.

Karen Lok I Pan, principal secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association of Macau's Organic Teen, said the summit allowed front-line anti-narcotics NGO workers to update their outreach strategies using the latest trends and expertise, particularly in the digital realm.

"Young people are heavy internet users, which means we must continue to strengthen our online presence alongside our conventional community efforts," she said.

Sebastian Tan, director of Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau, said the summit reached a consensus about the importance of investing in preventive education and new technologies. He said that Singapore and Hong Kong share many similarities, allowing certain initiatives to be readily adopted across borders, especially through exchanges like the ones at the summit. "We've built strong networks and will continue sharing best practices and diverse perspectives. This collaboration isn't limited to China and Singapore — it can extend to other Asian nations."

Tan Chong Huat, chairman of Singapore's National Council Against Drug Abuse, said the summit provided participants with a valuable exchange platform. "It is truly enlightening to see that it's not just the government, but all anti-drug stakeholders working together," he said. Tan also highlighted the importance of collective youth engagement. "It's a shared responsibility between government and community. The summit showed that effective youth outreach depends on coordinated expertise and agile adaptation to societal changes."

In a pledge to build a drug-free GBA together, the summit concluded with a declaration by young delegates from the three regions: "Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao stand united — I lead the fight against drugs! Say no to drugs!"

Jason Lee Chun-yiu, a 21-year-old delegate from Hong Kong, said he plans to bring insights gained at the summit back to his local area through community projects and social media content such as thematic short videos. He praised the meeting for establishing a framework to boost youth exchanges in the GBA.

He also described a recent visit to the Opium War Museum in Dongguan, Guangdong, as an invaluable experience. The museum, located where Qing Dynasty official Lin Zexu (1785-1850) destroyed stocks of opium in 1839, was designated as a GBA antidrug education base in 2023.

"The visit made me realize that drugs not only harm individual health but are also linked to a painful chapter in our history" Lee said. "We, the youth from the GBA, must spare no effort in guarding our country's 'southern gate'."

Another young delegate, Marcelino Antonio Couto from Macao, expressed his eagerness to share what he learned from authoritative sources on social media platforms. "I learned about hidden drug addiction cases among youth at the summit. Prevention must be the priority," he said. "Governments and NGOs need to coordinate more outreach for these vulnerable groups."

The summit featured three panel discussions: "Strategies for Anti-drug Communication in the New Era", "Collaborative Efforts to Combat Cross-boundary Crime", and "Youth Collaboration for a Drug-free Greater Bay Area".