The security chief stressed that the public should remain vigilant even with the implementation of the National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance in 2020 and last year respectively.

Chris Tang told RTHK's NSL Chronicles III, aired on Monday, that even though Hong Kong has become much more stable with the passage of the laws, national security threats still exist.

"Every day, you can see that many external forces keep endangering national security by smearing us or using other means to affect us," he said.

"Moreover, they have many agents here, using soft resistance tactics such as making up fake stories on all sorts of different issues to incite discontent towards the government.

"We must remain extremely vigilant about these kinds of soft resistance."

He went on to say that those who have left Hong Kong have continued to smear the SAR and colluded with external forces to endanger national security, and there are domestic terrorism activities to incite discontent towards the administration.

Tang also said it is untrue to say that the two laws have restricted residents' freedom to hold demonstrations and assemblies.

There were 392 protest applications in 2024, representing a rise of 15 percent compared with 2023, Tang said, and the government had not rejected any of them.