Aerial photo taken on July 16, 2020 shows south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said security and order are crucial to the sustainable development of HKSAR as a global financial hub, noting that Hong Kong's financial markets have remained in stable and orderly operation since the national security law took effect.

HONG KONG, July 19  -- The national security law for Hong Kong will not affect the normal operation of financial markets and legitimate business of financial institutions and market participants, a senior official of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said Sunday.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said in an online article that the law clearly stipulates four offenses endangering national security and the financial sector can continue their normal operation under Hong Kong's existing legal framework.

The law will neither affect the common business, participation in market activities or capital allocation of related institutions and individuals nor obstruct them from processing their own materials and data, collecting and distributing information, doing business researches as well as voicing their opinions, Chan said.