While the residents of HKSAR enjoy full protection of their rights and freedoms under the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Basic Law, the Hong Kong National Security Law, and other laws of Hong Kong, they also have an obligation to abide by the Region’s laws and safeguard national security.

Constitutional Duties

All Chinese citizens have a constitutional duty to safeguard national unity and security as stipulated under Article 52 and Article 54 of the Constitution of the PRC. Under Article 11 of the National Security Law of the PRC, safeguarding national security is a shared obligation of all Chinese people, including residents of Hong Kong.

Law-abiding Obligation

Residents and other people in Hong Kong have an obligation to abide by the laws. The laws in force in the HKSAR include the Constitution of the PRC, the Basic Law, national laws applicable to Hong Kong, the common law and rules of equity, statute law enacted in Hong Kong, etc. The National Security Law is a national law listed in Annex III of the Basic Law for implementation in the HKSAR.

Confidentiality

Paragraph 3 of Article 63 of the National Security Law stipulates that the relevant institutions, organisations, and individuals who assist with the handling of a case concerning an offence endangering national security shall keep confidential any information pertaining to the case.

Maintaining national security is the key to fully safeguarding the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents. To ensure a more prosperous future for both China and Hong Kong, everyone must play a part in safeguarding national security.