HONG KONG, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The crime number of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in 2017 fell 7.6 percent to 56,017, the lowest figure since 1975, Hong Kong's Commissioner of Police Lo Wai-chung said on Tuesday.

Reviewing Hong Kong's crime situation in 2017 at a press conference, Lo said there were fewer cases of murder, robbery, rape, blackmail, burglary, serious drug offences, wounding and serious assault, criminal damage, criminal intimidation, arson and deception.

A total of 163 robbery cases were recorded last year, 97 less than the previous year and the lowest since 1969, Lo said. However, the number of cases in indecent assault and vehicle theft went up.

"In the past three years the crime rate has continued to decrease, like in 2016 it is the lowest since 1978, and then last year it is the lowest since 1975," Lo said, Hong Kong Police will uphold the rule of law in Hong Kong.