Edwina Lau Chi-wai,

PMSM A synchronous electric motor is an AC electric motor in which, at steady state, the rotation of the shaft is synchronized with the frequency of the supply current; the rotation period is exactly equal to an integral number of AC cycles. Sync ...

(, born 29 July 1965) is the head of the National Security Department of the

Hong Kong Police Force The Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) is the primary law enforcement, investigative agency, and largest Hong Kong Disciplined Services, disciplined service under the Security Bureau (Hong Kong), Security Bureau of Hong Kong. The Royal Hong Kong Po ...

, and also sits on the Committee for Safeguarding National Security.

Career

According to an official biography, Lau joined the Royal Hong Kong Police in 1984 and served in various roles relating to narcotics, fraud, commercial crime, human resources management, police training, and police command. She has served as an assistant commissioner of police, regional commander of New Territories South, and as assistant commissioner of personnel. Lau also formerly served as director of the Hong Kong Police College. In 2015, she was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious Service. In March 2019, Lau became a senior assistant commissioner of police, overseeing the work of the Service Quality Wing and the Information Systems Wing. In 2020, she was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police (National Security). She took her oath of office, which was witnessed by

Carrie Lam Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor ( Cheng; ; born 13 May 1957) is a retired Hong Kong politician who served as the 4th Chief Executive of Hong Kong from 2017 to 2022. She served as Chief Secretary for Administration between 2012 and 2017 and Secr ...

, on 3 July 2020. On 10 February 2021, Carrie Lam awarded Lau the Chief Executive’s Commendation for Government/Public Service for her "significant contribution to safeguarding national security and the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law". In February 2023, Lau said there were "local extremists... hidden in the community" and that they "continue to disseminate seditious and false information on different platforms to instigate others to break the law."

Sanctions

On 9 November 2020, Lau was sanctioned by the United States under

Executive Order 13936 Executive Order 13936, entitled "The President’s Executive Order on Hong Kong Normalization", is an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on July 14, 2020. On the same day Trump had signed into law Hong Kong Autonomy Act, one ...

for her role in implementing the National Security Law. Lau responded that she was unfazed by the sanctions and will continue to safeguard Hong Kong and national security. She also called the sanctions "futile".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lau, Edwina Living people Hong Kong police officers 1965 births Hong Kong national security law Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List