LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BUILDING
541 P05/08
HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL - 16 May 1990
香港立法局. -一九九○年五月十六日
29
SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: Yes, Sir, over the last three years, which was
mentioned in the main question, the number of reported incidents has been as follows:
1988
1989
And thus far this year
45
21
16
Whenever there are serious incursions involving PRC vessels the matter is taken up with the Chinese authorities either through normal border liaison channels or through the Political Adviser's Office.
MR. HUI: Sir, can the Administration inform this Council why the speedboat and the men who appeared to be wearing Chinese official uniform were allowed to enter Hong Kong waters so many times without being questioned or detained by the proper Hong Kong authority?
SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: Sir, hindsight is an exact science. I think it is important in these circumstances to look at the police operational commander on the ground at the time. Up until 5 o'clock on the morning of 3 May everything was going well for the police. They were involved in an undercover operation involving smuggling of cars into China. At that time they had already arrested three men on the pier. The lighter was under way with the undercover policemen on board, an act of apparent smuggling was taking place, and a police launch was on its way to intercept the vessel.
MR. MARTIN LEE: Sir, does the Administration realize the great damage caused by this border intrusion incident to the public's confidence in the future, fearing that uniformed personnel from the PRC may arrest people in the future Hong Kong SAR after 1997, and have them secretly brought to and dealt with in Beijing for alleged counter-revolutionary offences in the Hong Kong SAR? And if so, will the Administration inform this Council what steps are being taken to ensure that such events will not happen after 1997?