HK urged to tighten laws on terrorism
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-02-22 10:26

Improvements are being proposed to tighten legislation against the financing of terrorist activities, a government press release quoted an official as saying Saturday.

Addressing a lunch meeting hosted by the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington D.C. in the United States, Secretary for Security with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Ambrose Lee said the proposals aim to bring the legislation in line with international standards.

Lee said such developments include the new recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering.

"Among other things, we are arguing for better disclosure laws for the reporting of suspicious transactions. 'Balance' is again the keyword here, where effective investigation powers, constitutionally protected freedoms, individual privacy, and economic and monetary efficiency are all indispensable considerations," he said.

Noting the increasingly close link between Hong Kong and China's mainland, Lee said his challenge is to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of Hong Kong's independent customs and immigration control, and at the same time maximize the ease and convenience for the movement of people and goods.

Despite the enormous challenge, Lee said Hong Kong's customs and immigration systems had lived up to expectations.

"Our system for the control of import and export of strategic materials curbing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, for instance, is regularly praised by our international trading partners as a model of effectiveness and integrity," he said.