(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Chief Executive John Lee today said the Government will spare no effort in bringing fugitive offenders involved in endangering national security to justice.

He made the statement this morning while responding to questions from the media concerning Agnes Chow, who was arrested on suspicion of colluding with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security, after she revealed that she plans to jump bail.

Mr Lee said: “Now that she has claimed to plan to jump bail and abscond from Hong Kong, Police will do their utmost to pursue her, to arrest her. Fugitives will be pursued for life unless they turn themselves in.”

Additionally, the Chief Executive pointed out that some people in Hong Kong still underestimate national security threats posed by foreign forces.

“Those who committed the crime of collusion have become foreign agents. They have betrayed the trust of Hong Kong people. They have betrayed the interests of Hong Kong.

“Hong Kong people must not ignore the interference of foreign forces in Hong Kong. They do it for their own political interests. They have not stopped.”

He added that residents must not lose sight of the fact that Hong Kong suffered from widespread violence when the city was hit by riots in 2019.

“Hong Kong must not forget the pain that we all had, despite the fact that the wounds of the 2019 riots and violence have somehow healed, but the pain should remain in our memory.” 

Mr Lee emphasised that the legislative exercise for Article 23 of the Basic Law must proceed with full strength.

“The legislative exercise will be completed next year to ensure that Article 23 legislation, that we then enact, together with the National Security Law, will form a solid national security legal system to improve the overall legal enforcement mechanism to safeguard national security.”