The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government has consulted with the Legislative Council (LegCo) on the resumption of second reading of multiple bills, and expected priority would be given to bills including the National Anthem Bill, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday. 

The HKSAR government's Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung and relevant principal officials have already written to LegCo's House Committee Chairwoman Starry Lee to consult, as required under the LegCo's rules of procedure, on the resumption of second reading of a total of 10 bills in the LegCo, Lam said.

Two of the bills, the National Anthem Bill and the Patent (Amendment) Bill, have been delayed for a very long time, Lam noted. "We do expect these two bills to be given priority in the resumption of second reading by the Legislative Council."

Lam made the announcement at a press briefing on Tuesday morning before attending the HKSAR Executive Council meeting.

The LegCo of the HKSAR finished the first reading of the National Anthem Bill submitted by the HKSAR government on January 23 last year and entered the second reading.

The government listened to views from 190 members of the public and representatives of various organizations and met with different political parties, professional groups, representatives from the legal sector and the academia during the drafting of the bill.

The legislative principle of the bill is to fully reflect the purpose and intent of the National Anthem Law, which is to preserve the dignity of the national anthem and promote respect for the national anthem, and at the same time to give due regard to the common law system practiced in Hong Kong as well as the actual circumstances in Hong Kong.

Read more:

Unveiling of National Anthem Bill strengthens solidarity

In implementing the national anthem law by local legislation, the government has given full consideration to Hong Kong's common law system and actual circumstances, a spokesman of the HKSAR government said in a statement in January.

Once passed, anyone who disrespects the national anthem would be punished with a jail term of up to three years and a fine of 50,000 HK dollars (about 6,373 U.S. dollars). 

China's top legislature on November 4, 2017 adopted decisions to apply the National Anthem Law in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

(with input from Xinhua)