National People’s Congress wants Macau to safeguard against external dangers

The Chief Executive, Chui Sai On (center), speaks at a seminar on Macau’s Basic Law held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing

The National People’s Congress of China (NPC) wants Macau to safeguard against “all sorts of dangers”, according to Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC.
The comments were made yesterday in the Chinese capital at a symposium held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to mark the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the Macau SAR Basic Law. During the symposium, Li listed several state security-related missions for the Macau SAR, in apparent reference to the political unrest troubling nearby Hong Kong.
Earlier this year, Macau established the national security protection law. Li wants the Macau SAR to “fully and effectively” protect the institution and system of national security.
Macau’s most pressing objectives, according to Li, are to improve its detection of potential dangers, to be highly cautious towards potential risks from all sectors, to be resolute in standing up to all types of damaging activities, and to maintain the harmony and stability of Macau.
The second of Li’s instructions was related to Article 23 of the Basic Law. Article 23 stipulates that Macau “shall enact laws, on its own, to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People’s Government, or theft of state secrets, to prohibit foreign political organizations or bodies from conducting political activities in the Region, and to prohibit political organizations or bodies of the Region from establishing ties with foreign political organizations or bodies.”
Li wants Macau to focus on the prohibition and punishment of any acts or activities that constitute a danger to the Central Government.
Chief Executive Chui Sai On also attended the symposium in Beijing and offered his insights on the territory’s Basic Law.
In echo of Li Zhanshu, Macau’s top official said in order to ensure the full implementation of the Basic Law, Macau was obliged to play its part in safeguarding national security.
According to a statement from the local government, the Chief Executive went on to brief seminar attendees on Macau’s efforts over the last two decades to defend the full authority of the Central Government in the territory, while ensuring Macau’s enjoyment of a high degree of autonomy. Such efforts included the Legislative Assembly of Macau passing the National Security Law, and the establishment by the Macau authorities of the Safeguarding State Security Committee.
The second point made by Chui was that Macau should make the most of the institutional advantages set out by the Basic Law, in order to advance in a timely manner the promotion of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle.
Promoting the principle was not only a matter related with history, it also served Macau’s needs for effective assurance and advancement of social progress.
Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaoming, Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office praised Macau for its “firm grasp” of the ‘one country, two systems’ policy.
According to Zhang, Macau has a “clear-cut adherence to an administrative-led system,” and Macau’s executive, legislative and judicial organs “consciously respect” the Central Government’s full power to govern the SAR, and “properly” handle important issues of national security. JZ