HKSAR chief executive signs National Anthem Bill
Updated 08:41, 12-Jun-2020
CGTN

Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), signed the National Anthem Bill in accordance with the HKSAR Basic Law on Thursday, the HKSAR government said in a statement the same day.

The bill will come into effect immediately after it is published in the Gazette on Friday.

"I am pleased that the National Anthem Ordinance will be gazetted and come into effect tomorrow, signifying the fulfillment of the constitutional responsibility of the HKSAR and reflecting the spirit of 'one country, two systems'," Lam said.

"Like the national flag and the national emblem, the national anthem is the symbol and sign of the nation. As an inalienable part of China, the HKSAR is duty-bound to preserve the dignity of the national anthem through legislation," she said in the statement.

Hoping that the public will respect the national anthem of their own volition, Lam said the promotion of the national anthem is of paramount importance to let the younger generation understand the history and spirit of the national anthem.

"The Education Bureau will update its learning and teaching resources and issue directions to schools through circulars to support schools in teaching students," Lam said.

On June 4, the Legislative Council (LegCo) of China's HKSAR approved the National Anthem Bill at the third reading debate.

Read more:

HKSAR LegCo passes National Anthem Bill

Explainer: National Anthem Bill, why it matters

A flag-raising ceremony is held at Golden Bauhinia Square to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China in Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2018. /Xinhua

A flag-raising ceremony is held at Golden Bauhinia Square to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China in Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2018. /Xinhua

The HKSAR government proposed the legislation at the beginning of 2018, and the LegCo finished the first reading in January 2019. The second reading was resumed in late May 2020 after a put-off due to social unrest and the deadlock in the LegCo's House Committee.

The Ordinance makes stipulations on the playing and singing of China's national anthem "March of the Volunteers," specifies "the standard, etiquette and occasion" for using the national anthem, and criminalizes insulting or misusing the national anthem, with persons who commit an offense facing a potential fine of 50,000 Hong Kong dollars (approximately 6,450 U.S. dollars) and up to three years in jail.

The offences stipulated in the Ordinance, according to the HKSAR government's press release, only concern the misuse of the national anthem, or public and intentional acts with an intent to insult the national anthem.

China's National Anthem Law came into force in the mainland in 2017 and then the Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress adopted the decision to add the law to Annex III to the HKSAR Basic Law.

In accordance with Article 18 of the Basic Law, the national laws listed in Annex III to the Basic Law shall be applied locally by way of promulgation or legislation by the HKSAR.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: HKSAR's Chief Executive Carrie Lam signs the National Anthem Bill passed by the Legislative Council, June 11, 2020. /Courtesy of the official website of the HKSAR government's information services department)