Secretary for Security Chris Tang said on Friday that police officers would mainly issue advice or warnings to passengers failing to comply with the new seatbelt mandate on buses – for now.

Speaking to the Legislative Council’s security panel, he said the police would be taking a balanced approach in enforcing the law in the first stages of the new mandatory requirement.

“If we have seatbelts but passengers just ignore them and another accident occurs with a lot of injuries, no one wants that to happen, Tang said.

"Therefore, I think installing seatbelts on buses and requiring passengers to wear them is clearly a must.

“But we do understand that there has to be a transitional period.

"It is necessary for us to review whether there is room for improvement and enhance public education. We shall take into account ‘law, reason and compassion’.”

People convicted of violating the rules face fines of up to HK$5,000 and three months in prison.

Tang also said Hong Kong had to remain vigilant to national security risks as there was still ‘soft resistance’ in society with attempts to incite hatred.

Some people had made use of the recent tragic fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po to disseminate false information in an effort to hurt the SAR as well as endanger national security, he said.

Tang also said Hong Kong had seen a decline in overall criminal activities in the first 11 months of 2025.

The authorities, he added, plan to install 20,000 surveillance cameras annually in the coming two years to further combat crimes.