HONG KONG, June 17 (Xinhua) -- John Lee, chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said on Tuesday that the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong has brought stability and security to Hong Kong, and national security-related crimes have shown a downward trend over the past five years.
Lee told the media before an executive council meeting that the Hong Kong version of "color revolution" and the "black-clad violence" in 2019 had led to widespread destruction in Hong Kong, with residents assaulted and insulted, traffic frequently disrupted, and the HKSAR government's administration brought to a standstill.
Lee said that the promulgation and implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong had an immediate effect in ending violence and restoring order, allowing the city to return to stability, safety, and normalcy, where residents could resume daily life and the economy could grow.
In the five years since the implementation of the law, a total of 332 individuals were arrested on suspicion of violating national security-related legislation, Lee said, adding that the Hong Kong police arrest around 30,000 people annually, with national security cases accounting for just 0.2 percent of the total.
The chief executive believed that more public education and promotional activities will deepen residents' understanding of the importance of safeguarding national security.
