Policy Address 2026: Hong Kong to expand gov’t-funded national security exhibition

Hong Kong will expand its publicly funded National Security Exhibition Gallery to promote the concept of “security brings prosperity,” leader John Lee has said in his annual Policy Address speech.

The National Security Exhibition Gallery at the Hong Kong Museum of History has drawn over 1.9 million visitors since its launch in mid-2024, Lee said on Wednesday as he delivered his fifth Policy Address speech at the Legislative Council.

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“The government will expand the gallery and enrich its content to promote the concept that ‘security brings prosperity,’” he said in Cantonese, without elaborating further.

The exhibition, which occupies over 1,100 square metres on the museum’s second floor, currently comprises six areas covering China’s national development and Hong Kong’s 2019 protests and unrest.

See also: In Pictures: Museum of History opens revamped ‘Hong Kong Story’ exhibition with new focus on China ‘roots’

Lee said on Wednesday that Hong Kong must establish a “bottom-line mindset” when it comes to safeguarding national security against “hidden threats.”

The chief executive adopted Chinese President Xi Jinping’s idea of taking a “holistic approach” to national security and development, saying the two must work in tandem.

“High-quality development must be safeguarded by high-level security; in turn, high-level security must be underpinned by high-quality development,” Lee said.

Before his Policy Address speech on Wednesday, Lee delivered the city’s first Five-Year Plan speech, during which he pledged to enhance security governance.

The government will enhance the role of the top-level Committee for Safeguarding National Security, while rigorously carrying out enforcement of the city’s national security laws, he said.

“We will continue to raise civil servants’ self‑awareness of safeguarding national security,” Lee said, “while actively promoting national security knowledge at schools, communities, and enterprises.”

Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.