Transcript of remarks by S for S after Fight Crime Committee meeting (with video)
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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, at a media session after the Fight Crime Committee meeting this afternoon (August 26):
Reporter: So some say that there are much sophisticated laws in Mainland China, which clearly and effectively target trafficking of persons abroad, and with more tougher penalties, and so will the Security Bureau review our laws and consider to toughening it.
Second, some experts said that Hong Kong did not conduct enough screening for suspicious departures at the airport to prevent human trafficking cases, and there were not enough collaboration with law enforcement in Myanmar and Cambodia. So what would you do to solve this problem? Thank you.
Secretary for Security: First of all, Hong Kong is never an originated or a transit place, or a destination for human trafficking. As a matter of fact, we have over 50 different legal provisions in different ordinances that can handle situation relating to trafficking in persons. Actually we have a very robust initial screening mechanism to trying to identify if there is any persons being trafficked in Hong Kong, or in or out of Hong Kong. As a matter of fact, in the year 2020, we have conducted 6,900 of such kind of screenings, and we have identified three victims. And in 2021, we have conducted 7,700 of this kind of screenings, and we have only identified one victim, so we have either sufficient law and a robust system in handling, if there is any trafficking activities in Hong Kong.
And the second question is about co-operation. In fact, we also have a robust co-operation with overseas law enforcement agencies by either bilateral basis or through Interpol channel to tackle those cause cross-jurisdictional offences. Thank you.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)