Thirty-three senior civil servants participating in a national studies programme in Beijing today attended a seminar to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the promulgation and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law.

The seminar aimed to develop their understanding of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's constitutional responsibility to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and their own role as guardians of national security.

It was delivered by Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Basic Law Committee and of the Macao Basic Law Committee under the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) and Deputy Director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the NPC Zhang Yong.

Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said the Hong Kong SAR Government is stepping up efforts on all fronts to cultivate a sense of national identity, awareness of national security and patriotism among civil servants.

She added that national studies programmes, involving lectures at Mainland institutions and site visits, enable middle and senior-level civil servants to gain an accurate understanding of Hong Kong's constitutional order, of national security and of the country’s latest policy objectives.

Since the implementation of the security law and the enactment of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, the Civil Service Bureau has incorporated training on safeguarding national security into its programmes. This includes induction training for new recruits, Mainland programmes for middle and senior-level officers, thematic talks and e-learning activities.