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Beijing Appointed National Security Advisers for Macau

On December 3, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency, China’s central government decided to establish a national security affairs advisor and three national security technical advisors to be on a Committee for Safeguarding the National Security of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). Beijing actually made this decision on November 30 in its reply to the Chief Executive of Macau.

The reply also said that the head of the Liaison Office of the Central Government in the Macau SAR in Beijing will take the position of national security advisor and that staff members in the Liaison Office will fill the positions of technical advisors. The Liaison Office works as Beijing’s representative in Macau.

The national security affairs adviser will be in charge of “supervising, guiding, coordinating, and supporting the Macao SAR in the function of safeguarding national security.” The duties of the national security technical adviser shall include “assisting the national security affairs adviser” and advising on matters pertaining to the duties and functions of the office of the Committee for Safeguarding the National Security of the Macao SAR.

In addition, the reply mentioned that the national security affairs adviser shall sit in on meetings of the Committee, and the national security technical advisers shall sit in on meetings of the office of the Committee.

The Hong Kong National Security Law that passed last year also provided for the establishment of a “Committee for Safeguarding National Security.” The Chief Executive would chair the Committee. His duties would include analyzing and assessing the situation of the HKSAR’s national security, planning relevant work, formulating policies, promoting the development of legal systems and implementation mechanisms, and coordinating major operations. The Committee in Hong Kong also has a national security advisor that Beijing appointed. The advisor would attend its meetings and provide advice on related matters.

Source: Xinhua, December 3, 2021
http://www.news.cn/gangao/2021-12/03/c_1128126706.htm