Tung said the consultation document was drawn up after collecting a wide range of views expressed by different sectors of the community. "Articles 23 of the Basic Law stipulates that the HKSAR shall enact laws on its own to protect national security," he added.

Under Article 23 of the Basic Law, the HKSAR is obliged to 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.

"It is thus our duty to proceed with the enactment of the legislation. In fact, it is the community's collective duty to protect national security. In this regard, I wish to stress that the fulfillment of our duty to protect national security is the foundation for our successful implementation of the principle of 'One Country, Two Systems'," he said.

Tung told reporters that the proposals laid down in the document are fully consistent with the Basic Law, the Human Rights Ordinance and the two international covenants, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

He reassured the public that the proposals would not undermine in anyway the existing human rights and civil liberties enjoyed by the people of Hong Kong. Nor would the existing way of life be affected in anyway.

"Human rights and civil liberties are the pillars of our success. I will protect them. In drawing up our proposals for the legislation, we have in fact compared them with similar laws in many western countries. I find our proposals both liberal and reasonable," Tung concluded.

(Xinhua News Agency September 24, 2002)