HK official: Removal of water barriers symbolizes restoration of order

The removal of water-filled barriers outside government headquarters of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region symbolizes the restoration of order in the city, HKSAR Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu said on Sunday.

The barriers were removed on Sunday, two years after they were set up when rioters raided those buildings and severely impacted social order across the city.

Hong Kong residents celebrated a joyful National Day with national and SAR flags prominently on show across the city in recent days, said Lee in a post published on the government's website.

It was in contrast to protests in 2019 when more than 100 petrol bombs were hurled and fires were set at more than 68 locations, leading to the arrest of 300 people, he added.

Lee further introduced that after the "black terror" was eradicated, the government repaired and beautified the city, creating 300 jobs in the process.

The national security law has been effective in keeping destructive and external forces at bay, Lee said.

Some 40 legal ordinances are expected to be approved at the Legislative Council, double the previous annual average of 20, and HK$280 billion can be allocated to boost construction, development and employment in Hong Kong, according to the official.

Lee expressed confidence in the HKSAR's future within the framework of the nation's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), the blueprint for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and the plan for the development of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone.