China’s National Security Office in Hong Kong summons foreign journalists

The Hong Kong authorities summoned international news organisations to a rare meeting on Dec 6 to warn against “false information and smear campaigns” surrounding the city’s deadliest fire in nearly eight decades and upcoming legislative elections.

The Office for Safeguarding National Security said some recent reports by foreign media have “disregarded facts, spread false information” and “incited social division and confrontation”.

An official at the meeting, which included journalists from Bloomberg News, used a Chinese phrase equivalent to “do not say you have not been warned”.

The meeting came about a week and a half after the deadly blaze at a Hong Kong housing estate triggered a level of public anger unseen in Hong Kong since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in 2020. The city is holding legislative elections on Dec 7 that will be closely watched for turnout.

Participation fell to a record 30.2 per cent in the 2021 Legislative Council race.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, who pledged to launch an independent committee over the fire that killed at least 159 people, has said he decided to proceed with the vote as scheduled to “safeguard social stability.”

The city observed three days of mourning and temporarily suspended election campaigns after the blaze, which drew international headlines and prompted Chinese President Xi Jinping to order officials to prioritise rescue efforts.

Hong Kong ranked 140 out of 180 in the Reporters Without Borders 2025 press freedom index report. That’s down from 73 in 2019, the year that months of pro-democracy protests prompted Beijing to tighten its grip on the city.

Once among the most freewheeling places in Asia for journalism, the city’s media landscape has changed significantly since the national security legislation came into effect and authorities cracked down on media outlets including Jimmy Lai’s Apple Daily. 

The Office for Safeguarding National Security was established in 2020 as part of the national security law, and reports directly to authorities on mainland China. Mr Dong Jingwei, the office’s current head, was a top official in the Ministry of State Security, China’s main intelligence agency. BLOOMBERG