Beijing’s national security arm in Hong Kong conducted its first publicly known joint operation with the city’s police to determine whether a suspected collusion case is complex to the extent that it requires mainland China to take over, the security minister has revealed.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Saturday that no arrests had been made so far, adding it would require the central government’s approval if the case were to be handed over.
His remarks were made after the government announced on Thursday night the joint operation between local police and Beijing’s Office for Safeguarding National Security, with observers predicting that it could be the first step in an investigation into an unusually complex collusion situation that was ultimately handed over to mainland authorities.
“The office will need to ascertain whether there were any situations specified under Article 55 [of the national security law] … we need to understand and investigate whether these had happened,” Tang said during a radio programme.
Under the article, the office shall exercise jurisdiction over cases deemed complex due to the involvement of a foreign country or external elements, making it difficult for Hong Kong to proceed.
