New national security guidelines for civil servants will detail how they should identify and respond to "soft resistance", according to the security minister.

In a newspaper interview published on Tuesday, Secretary for Security Chris Tang said foreign interference in local affairs has become more diverse and covert as Hong Kong takes on an increasingly prominent position on the global stage.

The government says "soft resistance" involves people using channels such as disinformation and the arts to divide society through public opinion and to try to cause distrust or hostility towards the authorities.

Compared to "hard resistance", it is more difficult to guard against "soft resistance" due to its infiltrating nature, Tang added, while vowing to work on various fronts to safeguard national security.

He said the administration will release new guidelines for civil servants as soon as possible, outlining how they should fulfil their duty in safeguarding national security.

One such way, Tang said, is paying close attention to the emergence of "soft resistance" and taking proactive countermeasures.

The minister also called on the public to report suspected national security offences via a hotline, which has received nearly 940,000 tip-offs since November 2020.