Local delegates to the National People's Congress (NPC) said on Monday that top Beijing official Xia Baolong has urged the SAR to enact national security laws under Article 23 of the Basic Law as soon as possible and to guard against possible foreign interference.

Local NPC deputies met the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office on the sidelines of the two sessions in Beijing.

They said he cared deeply about the city's economy and people's livelihoods.

Ma Fung-kwok, who heads the local NPC delegation, said Xia was satisfied with his week-long inspection tour of the SAR last month, during which he saw Hong Kong's improvements in various fields.

"My feeling is that he expressed that there is strong support from various parts of the community to get the Article 23 passed as soon as possible. But he also reminded us to be aware of some possible interference coming from abroad, from foreign powers," he told reporters.

"We will have to deal with that, and be aware of the possible sabotage on our economic area."

For his part, NPC deputy Rock Chen quoted Xia as saying that the central government highly valued Hong Kong's role as an international centre for finance, shipping, trade, innovation and technology.