BEIJING, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese officials on Wednesday stressed the significance of the law on safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), noting that the law marks a turning point and will bring the region back on track in terms of its development.

Chinese lawmakers on Tuesday voted to adopt the 66-article law, and later passed a decision to list the law in Annex III to the HKSAR Basic Law.

The promulgation and implementation of the law will be of profound and far-reaching significance for upholding and improving the institutional system of "one country, two systems" under new conditions. It will also safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests, and ensure long-term peace, stability and prosperity in Hong Kong, Shen Chunyao, director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said at a press conference.

The law is designed to bring tranquility to Hong Kong, Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said at the press conference.

The law came into force in Hong Kong at 11:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday, upon its promulgation by the HKSAR government in the gazette.

Opinions were solicited from all relevant sectors, in particular, those from the HKSAR, during the formulation of the law, Shen said.

Shen stressed that the jurisdiction of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR only targets the very few criminal cases that severely endanger national security.

The law does not target the entire opposition camp in the HKSAR, Zhang said, noting that different political views, including those not in the government's favor, can still exist.

The law does not criminalize normal international communication and exchanges either, Zhang said.

On national security legislation stipulated in Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law, Shen said neither a relevant decision by NPC nor the law adopted by the NPC Standing Committee can substitute the relevant legislation, as stipulated by Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law.

The HKSAR should complete, on its own, the relevant legislation stipulated by the article as soon as possible, Shen said.

In response to some countries' so-called "sanction" threats, Zhang said enacting a law on safeguarding national security in a local administrative region is entirely an internal affair of China.

The law will fully protect the rights and freedoms enjoyed by the vast majority of Hong Kong residents, and the legitimate rights and interests of overseas investors in Hong Kong, Zhang noted.