On June 30, 2025, Hong Kong will mark the fifth anniversary of the enactment of the National Security Law for Hong Kong. To commemorate the occasion, a special exhibition opened on Thursday at the National Security Exhibition Gallery in the Hong Kong Museum of History. Photo: VCG

On June 30, Hong Kong will mark the fifth anniversary of the enactment of the National Security Law for Hong Kong. To commemorate the occasion, a special exhibition opened on Thursday at the National Security Exhibition Gallery in the Hong Kong Museum of History. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Secretary for Security Chris Tang revealed that since the law came into effect, a total of 326 individuals have been arrested for suspected acts endangering national security under various related legislations, with 165 of them already convicted, local media RTHK reported. 

Speaking at the opening ceremony,  Tang stated that external hostile forces continue to attempt to undermine national security through smearing campaigns and so-called sanctions, RTHK reported. 

Tang emphasized that safeguarding national security has not come easily, and the government will continue to make full use of legal tools to protect it — while also needing public support, RTHK said. 

Tang revealed that as of June 1, Hong Kong police have received more than 920,000 reports related to national security, describing the response as "encouraging." He expressed hope that the exhibition will help the public better understand the principles of the law, the rationale and necessity behind its enforcement, and how it serves to protect citizens' rights and freedoms, adding that a secure environment would lay a solid foundation for driving high-quality development.

The special exhibition showcases the transformation of Hong Kong from "chaos to order" and from "order to prosperity" following the enactment and implementation of the law. The exhibition begins with a "time tunnel" composed of images and lighting effects, depicting major social events that took place between 2014 and 2019, including the Mong Kok riot and the anti-extradition bill protests.

Since its opening in August last year, the gallery has received around 850,000 visits, including over 100,000 students. On average, more than 3,000 visitors attend each day, among them foreign tourists and visitors from the Chinese mainland, said Cheung Kin-kwong, the person in charge of the gallery.

I took three months to prepare the exhibition which is expected to attract 3,000 to 5,000 visitors daily. New short videos — featuring interviews with scholars and judges to explain past social events — will be added to the exhibition next week, Cheung said.

Tang also outlined four major national security risks currently facing Hong Kong - external hostile forces attempting to undermine national security through smearing campaigns and sanctions, anti-China and destabilizing elements who have fled overseas, continuing to engage in activities endangering national security, such as advocating for "Hong Kong independence," the threat of homegrown terrorism; and individuals with ulterior motives spreading fake news and misinformation to divide society and incite hatred, local media HK01.com reported.