The Labour Department’s Registry of Trade Unions (RTU) organised the Seminar on National Security for Trade Unions today to enhance the awareness and sense of responsibility of trade unions in safeguarding national security.
Featuring exchanges of measures taken by the labour sector to safeguard national security, contributing to the security and development of the country and Hong Kong, the seminar attracted around 420 participants on-site and online.
In his opening remarks, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun said that the successful conclusion of the eighth-term Legislative Council General Election last year, which fully implemented the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong” and faithfully upheld the principle of “one country, two systems”, was a crucial realisation of strengthening the national security shield.
The voter turnout rate in the functional constituency of the labour sector was nearly 90%, fully reflecting the proactiveness of the labour sector in safeguarding the country and home.
Noting this year marks the beginning of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, Mr Sun said it is incumbent upon all sectors of the community to consider and act on how Hong Kong can make full use of its strengths to serve the country’s needs and further integrate into the overall national development.
He encouraged the labour sector to seize the opportunities from the National 15th Five-Year Plan, and help contribute Hong Kong’s strengths to the country’s development.
The labour chief added that apart from the establishment of solid institutional safeguards, every individual and institution must also have the commitment to national security.
The National 15th Five-Year Plan clearly states the need to strengthen national security education and fortify the defensive line in people.
According to the Hong Kong National Security Law, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall promote national security education through social organisations, including trade unions, to raise the awareness of national security and law-abidingness among Hong Kong residents.
He called on the labour sector’s concerted efforts to safeguard national security.
The seminar featured two keynote presentations and a panel discussion session in which four guests shared the measures and practical experiences of labour organisations and trade unions in promoting national security education.
The seminar was co-organised by the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Hong Kong & Kowloon Labour Unions.
