Hong Kong Police Wanchai district headquarters, Aug 21, 2019 Photo: Xinhua

The National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force has taken enforcement action against a Taiwan region-developed mobile game Reversed Front: Bonfire citing violations of the National Security Law for Hong Kong as the game advocates for "Taiwan independence" and "Hong Kong independence." In an interview published on Monday, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki warned of the dangers posed by politically charged games, particularly to children.

Many people, especially children, enjoy playing mobile games. If anti-China or destabilizing forces use these games to promote "Hong Kong or Taiwan independence," it becomes an extremely dangerous phenomenon, Chan told local media RTHK, adding that the government must stop it as soon as possible.

The police's national security department said on April 10 that the public should not download a mobile app named Reversed Front: Bonfire or provide funding to its developer as the app promotes acts and activities endangering national security, according to a statement published on the website of the HKSAR. 

It added that those who have downloaded the app should uninstall it immediately, according to the statement. 

Chan emphasized the need to guard against what he called "soft resistance," where individuals exploit legal grey areas to subtly spread anti-government messages. Reflecting on the 2019 unrest, he noted that many young people at the time expressed dissatisfaction with or alienation from the country, despite never having visited the mainland. "They were influenced by misinformation or misguided ideas," he said.

To counter this, Chan said the HKSAR government subsequently began subsidizing student visits to the mainland and hosting exhibitions in Hong Kong showcasing national achievements. Prominent figures such as athletes and taikonauts from the mainland were also invited to engage with youth. 

"The goal is to help young people understand and recognize the nation," Chan explained. "So they can develop a sense of national identity and a willingness to safeguard national security."

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the Google Play Store had suspended access to download the mobile game as of June 10.

The game's social media page said earlier this month that it was previously taken down from the Google Play Store for not prohibiting hateful language, according to the SCMP. 

But players could still download an Android version of the game from its website, the social media page said, the SCMP said. 
 
Regarding individual users, Ronny Tong Ka-wah, an Executive Council member, said whether downloading the game constitutes a criminal act depends on the user's intent. "The prohibition order has already been widely reported, so most people should be aware that possessing or downloading the game may violate the law," he said. "If someone still chooses to download or keep the game, they do so at their own risk."

When asked whether live-streaming or recording gameplay could be illegal, Tong noted that the determination would depend on the intent of the player and the uploader. "Don't do anything that might lead the court to infer you have criminal intent," he advised.

Apart from Reversed Front: Bonfire, several board games circulating in Hong Kong also pose potential national security risks or convey inappropriate messages. For instance, some board games featuring world or continental maps display China's national borders vaguely, or even exclude parts of Chinese territory or mark them as outside the country's boundaries, Chu Kar-kin, a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Monday. 

In addition, the Chinese-language instructions for some games are direct translations from English, and contain subjective and inaccurate descriptions. Certain war- or conflict-themed games even promote ideas such as "rebellion," "nation-building," "revolution," "colonization," "war," and "extreme nationalism," Chu said, noting that some card games even include veiled references to "Tibetan independence."

Safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity goes beyond countering the incitement of "Hong Kong independence" sentiment, Chu said. "It is also necessary for the HKSAR to fully curb and eliminate propaganda promoting 'Taiwan independence,' 'Tibetan independence,' and 'Xinjiang independence'."