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Danny Mok

William Zheng

Ng Kang-chung

A deputy minister in mainland China’s counter-espionage services has been appointed as Beijing’s national security chief in Hong Kong.
The Beijing Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said on Tuesday Dong Jingwei had been appointed as the central government’s head of the Office for Safeguarding National Security in the city.
A source familiar with the appointment said Dong was formerly the vice-minister of state security, a post he had held since 2018.
Dong, 59, succeeded Zheng Yanxiong, also 59, who was promoted to head Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong in January, as head of the security office.

He has had a long career working in the security services in his home province of Hebei.
Dong was the director of the political department of the Ministry of State Security from 2017 to 2018.
He also served as the director of the Hebei Provincial Department of State Security from 2006 to March 2017.
The source said Dong’s appointment was only confirmed after the upgrade of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, as the security role is now under the revamped body that oversees the city.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu welcomed the appointment and said his administration would continue to work with Dong’s office and to do its best to enforce the city’s national security law.
Dong’s appointment was made amid heightened tension between the country and the West.
National security chief in Hong Kong takes reins at liaison office
The two sides have crossed swords over several matters, including Hong Kong’s autonomy and human rights.
It is expected that Dong will play a major role in the maintenance of stability and security in the city.
His appointment came weeks after Hong Kong police announced unprecedented HK$1 million (US$127,988) per head bounties for information that led to the arrest and prosecution of eight opposition figures accused of breaches of the national security law.
The eight, who are all overseas, were last known to be living in the United States, Britain, Australia and Canada.
Dong urged the country’s intelligence officers to step up their efforts to hunt down foreign agents and insiders who colluded with “anti-China” forces at a 2021 seminar on a counter-espionage regulation that came into force in April that year.
Hong Kong’s national security law, imposed by Beijing in June 2020, was designed to ban acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
8 Hong Kong wanted activists should be treated like ‘rats in the street’: John Lee
Seven of the group were accused of calling for international sanctions against the city.
Lee warned in a speech to mark the 26th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule on July 1 that the city had to guard against a “soft resistance” designed to threaten stability.
Professor Lau Siu-kai, a Hong Kong-based political scientist, said the appointment was a normal personnel move to fill the post vacated by Zheng.
He added Dong would have extensive experience in safeguarding national security and a keen understanding of the threats faced by Hong Kong.
Lau added that he expected the US and some Western countries would continue to use the city to attempt to destabilise national security.
He said Dong’s appointment would boost the law enforcement capabilities of the national security police, as well as strengthen cooperation between the central and city governments.


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Hong Kong national security law (NSL)

Hong Kong’s new national security chief was deputy minister in mainland China’s counter-espionage services

Dong Jingwei, Beijing’s new security chief in Hong Kong.  Photo: Handout

Beijing’s Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay: Photo: Felix Wong

Beijing’s top envoy in UK lodges formal protest against Britain’s accusation of Hong Kong staging ‘campaign of fear’ through national security law raid

Police in Hong Kong release pictures of suspects on a wanted list under the national security law. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hong Kong activist and former lawmaker Nathan Law is believed to have fled the city before Beijing imposed the national security law in 2020. Photo: AP 

British foreign office minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan earlier warned acts such as the police raid on Nathan Law’s family home would only damage Hong Kong’s reputation. Photo: Reuters

Zheng Zeguang, the Chinese ambassador to Britain, has accused the UK of “grossly interfering” with China’s affairs. Photo: AP

Hong Kong’s national security law: 3 years on, more than 160 prosecutions, 8 bounties later, what else can the city expect?

 Illustration: Henry Wong

Opposition activists are escorted to a prison van at the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre. A national security trial involving 47 opposition figures, the biggest to date, is likely to proceed through the courts this year. Photo: Dickson Lee

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (fourth left) meets Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) in Beijing on June 19. Washington has criticised the security law’s long-arm jurisdiction as setting “a dangerous precedent”. Photo: AFP

National security police have arrested 265 people since the law came into force in 2020. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

The long-awaited trial of Jimmy Lai is expected to start in September, after it was delayed because he sought to have a UK-based lawyer on his defence team. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong national security law: police raid family home of fugitive activist Nathan Law and question parents, older brother

Police have announced unprecedented HK$1 million rewards for information leading to the arrest of Nathan Law and seven others. Photo: AP 

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam takes the stage at a Law Society event. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Counter-espionage veteran Dong Jingwei appointed to head central government’s Office for Safeguarding National Security in the city
Beijing’s new man in Hong Kong expected to play major role in security and stability of city


Mainland counter-espionage veteran Dong Jingwei appointed to head central government’s Office for Safeguarding National Security in the city.


Hong Kong’s new national security chief was deputy minister in mainland China’s counter-espionage services

Counter-espionage veteran Dong Jingwei appointed to head central government’s Office for Safeguarding National Security in the city Beijing’s new man in Hong Kong expected to play major role in security and stability of city

Counter-espionage veteran Dong Jingwei appointed to head central government’s Office for Safeguarding National Security in the city

Beijing’s new man in Hong Kong expected to play major role in security and stability of city