Hong Kong will use national security to safeguard its development amid geopolitical uncertainty, leader John Lee has said as the city celebrated the 28th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule on Tuesday.
“High-level security will safeguard high-quality development,” Lee said in a Cantonese speech delivered to mark the Handover anniversary. “We will steadfastly safeguard national security and seize upon national opportunities under the One Country, Two Systems framework.”
The chief executive also pledged further reform and to expedite the development of the Northern Metropolis. The megaproject will span about one third of Hong Kong’s border territory with neighbouring Shenzhen. Although a key scheme for the city’s integration with mainland China, environmental groups have called for better protection of surrounding wetlands.
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‘Result-oriented’ government
Tuesday marked 28 years since Hong Kong was handed over from Britain to China after over 150 years of colonial rule. It also marked three years since Lee’s administration assumed office.
Following a flag-raising ceremony at Wan Chai’s Golden Bauhinia Square, Lee delivered his annual speech to mark the anniversary and to review his government’s policies.
Lee hailed the formation of a “result-oriented” government, which passed the city’s second, homegrown security law – known locally as Article 23 of the Basic Law – last year. “We have rebuilt a safe Hong Kong,” he said.
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Separate from the 2020 Beijing-enacted
security law
, the homegrown
Safeguarding National Security Ordinance
targets treason, insurrection, sabotage, external interference, sedition, theft of state secrets and espionage. It allows for
pre-charge detention
of up to 16 days, and
suspects’ access to lawyers
may be restricted, with penalties involving
up to life in prison
.
Article 23 was shelved
in 2003 amid mass protests, remaining taboo for years. But, on March 23, 2024, it was enacted having been
fast-tracked
and unanimously approved at the city’s opposition-free legislature.
The law has
been criticised by rights NGOs
,
Western states
and
the UN
as vague, broad and “regressive.” Authorities, however, cited perceived foreign interference and a constitutional duty to “close loopholes” after the
2019 protests and unrest
.
Lee also said that the average waiting time for public housing had been reduced from 6.1 years to 5.3 years, adding that the authorities had recovered about 8,700 public housing units in a crackdown against abuse.
He said the reclaimed flats amounted to building 11 new public housing blocks.
Hong Kong’s economy returned to growth after the Covid pandemic, while monthly household income rose HK$3,000, Lee said.
The city also saw the arrival of about 210,000 professionals through various talent schemes as well as 84 “strategic enterprises from frontier technological industries” during Lee’s administration, he said.
Lee said his administration would continue to improve people’s livelihood in areas such as housing, health, education and welfare.
The city’s GDP grew by 3.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, though the city is battling a HK$87.2 billion deficit with unemployment rising to 3.5 per cent for the March-to-May period, up from
3.4 per cent between February and April
.
“We would rather be reformers who rise to challenges than become complacent idlers,” he said.
“Amid an ever‑changing geopolitical landscape and constantly increasing uncertainties, Hong Kong is able to showcase exactly to the world the certainties of safety, stability and development opportunities. These are precisely what the world needs and seeks,” he added.
Honour list
Lee’s administration also unveiled 427 awards in the annual honours list on Tuesday, including for nine government officials involved in the city’s national security efforts, such as Secretary for Justice Paul Lam, who received the Gold Bauhinia Star award.
Bronze medals for bravery were also awarded to two residents who saved a number of people during a
deadly blaze at New Lucky House
in Jordan last April.
The government’s
51-strong search and rescue team
deployed to earthquake-stricken Myanmar in March and April this year received the chief executive’s Commendation for Community Service and Commendation for Government/Public Service.
66 people were also appointed as Justices of the Peace.
Before the security law’s enactment, July 1 was also a day of mass protest. However, there have been no large-scale demonstrations since then.
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