{
  "id": 18861721,
  "title": "Hong Kong must build ‘reassuring’ environment amid political criticism: Paul Lam",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/hong-kong-must-build-reassuring-environment-amid-political-criticism-18861721",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-08T04:36:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post-hong-kong",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3373677/hong-kong-must-build-reassuring-environment-amid-political-criticism-paul-lam"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hong Kong's Secretary for Justice, Paul Lam, emphasized the importance of building a safe and convenient environment amid international criticism of the city's legal system. Ten countries, including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, and Japan, jointly condemned the recent jail sentence of opposition activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung, arguing that Hong Kong's national security law is being used for political repression. Wong was sentenced to 10 years in prison last Thursday for his role in a 2020 primary election. Lam stressed that Hong Kong must focus on practical work, stating that concrete results will attract people to support the city. Despite anticipating continued criticism, the government would reassure the international community by concentrating on practical work and maintaining a safe environment. Lam pointed out that truth will speak for itself and that Hong Kong can continue to provide confidence and remain an attractive place for business. The establishment of Unidroit's regional office in Hong Kong was seen as a vote of confidence by the international community, reflecting the city's role in building a fairer, rules-based economic order.",
  "summary": "Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok stated that Hong Kong must focus on the practical work of creating a safe and convenient environment to reassure the international community. Speaking on a radio programme, Lam noted that while political criticism is inevitable, the city should not allow it to distract from achieving concrete results through action.\n\nThese remarks follow a joint statement from 10 countries, including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, and Japan, which criticized the jail sentence of opposition activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung. The South China Morning Post reports that these nations claimed Wong's sentence and the imprisonment of others demonstrate that the national security law is being used as a tool for political repression.\n\nWong, 30, was sentenced to 10 years in prison last Thursday for his involvement in a global campaign seeking sanctions against mainland China and Hong Kong following the 2019 anti-government protests. He was due to complete a separate sentence of four years and eight months for conspiracy to commit subversion related to an unofficial 2020 primary election.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Bukit Aman suspects cocaine-in-shoes arrest at Hong Kong airport linked to Malaysia drug bust",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/bukit-aman-suspects-cocaine-in-shoes-arrest-at-hong-kong-airport",
        "published": "2026-11-07T09:21:10.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}