Commentary: Article 23 legislation consolidates security foundation of HKSAR's development

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Tuesday unanimously adopted a safeguarding national security bill, completing the legislation of Article 23 of the Basic Law of the HKSAR.

The move represents a significant step forward in fulfilling the HKSAR's constitutional responsibility to safeguard national security, addressing the loopholes and shortcomings in the system and mechanisms designed for this purpose.

Safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests stands as the top priority of the "one country, two systems" policy. The new bill enables the HKSAR to comprehensively and effectively prevent, deter and punish acts and activities endangering national security.

The legislation will effectively mitigate the risk of external hostile forces attempting to disrupt Hong Kong, and the risk of anti-China elements causing chaos within the territory.

The Article 23 legislation has won the broad support of the public. Foreign chambers of commerce and enterprises in Hong Kong have also expressed their understanding and support for the legislation.

Following a rigorous and pragmatic approach, the deliberation of the bill was conducted following laws and regulations.

The bill strikes a balance between safeguarding national security and safeguarding rights and freedoms as well as economic development. It fully protects the well-being and the rights and interests of Hong Kong residents while safeguarding the properties and investments in Hong Kong.

The completion of Article 23 legislation will provide a solid guarantee for Hong Kong to improve its business environment and enhance its competitive edge.

Over three years into the implementation of the Hong Kong national security law, confidence in the special administrative region among its residents and the international community has grown.

With the strong support of the central government and concerted efforts from all sectors of Hong Kong society, the successful practice of "one country, two systems" is poised to yield even more remarkable results.