Over 200 participants comprising 110 senior police leaders and officers from the Mainland, Macao, the INTERPOL, and 35 overseas countries from all different continents, experts and academics, as well as about 100 local working partners of the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), gathered in Hong Kong between September 13 and 15 to attend the International Symposium on Cyber Policing 2023, the largest international conference on policing hosted by HKPF over the past two decades.

18 distinguished scholars from renowned universities or experts from worldwide cyber technology industries specialised in digital finance, communications technology and cybersecurity were invited to give keynote speeches or chair panel discussions to explore profoundly a series of issues on cyber policing.

Head of Consumer & Retail ASPAC and Head of Technology of Hong Kong of KPMG China Mr Anson Bailey highlighted that todays’ free access and exposure to information gave rise to many privacy concerns about crimes and cyberattacks. Experts at the symposium called for a culture shift towards multi-lateral collaboration by sharing intelligence data and technology support to enhance collective security capabilities.

Another speaker at the symposium, Deputy Commissioner of Cybersecurity and Deputy Chief Executive (Development) of Cyber Security Agency of Singapore Mr Chua Kuan Seah stressed that everyone had a role to play - from individual user, software or hardware developer to critical infrastructure architect or operator, all were integral elements to the cybersecurity ecosystem.

Regional Lead of APJC, CyberSecurity of Cisco Mr Timothy Snow shared a few recent incidents of massive cyberattack and the new trend of cyber threats, prompting the attendees to consider cyber-community policing as a way for awareness building through publicity and education campaign, in addition to exercises and drills to promote public and enterprise responsibility in cyber security.

Hong Kong being a hub of knowledge and technology, the symposium not only facilitated communication among law enforcement agencies of different jurisdictions, but also enhanced close partnership between public and private sectors. Speaking at the closing ceremony, Commissioner Siu Chak-yee reiterated the importance of public-private partnership in tackling the borderless cybercrime and cyber threats. He hoped that the symposium could symbolise the beginning of a new chapter of collaboration among global law enforcement agencies and public or private organisations. He said, “The strong international and cross-discipline network we have flourished here will serve as the foundation for future collaboration and partnership shoulder-by-shoulder.”