Politics
22:17, 07-Nov-2017
HK chief executive hopes to implement National Anthem Law 'efficiently'
["china"]
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Carrie Lam, the chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), said on Tuesday that she hoped the Legislative Council could approve the local version of the National Anthem Law 'efficiently'.
Lam said her administration had begun work to implement the National Anthem Law in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, on Saturday adopted decisions to apply the National Anthem Law in Hong Kong and Macao SARs.
The law was included in Annex III of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR and Annex III in the Basic Law of the Macao SAR, which lists national laws to be applied in the two regions.
Xinhua Photo
Xinhua Photo
Following the Chinese central government's decision, Lam said she would pursue a bill on the matter at the Legco within the present legislative term, or before next July.
Lam added she hoped the Legco could "fulfil its constitutional responsibility" in discussing the matter and approving the bill "efficiently".
"The law would only forbid the deliberate insulting of the playing and singing of the anthem. It would be unnecessary to worry about falling into legal [traps] unintentionally," Lam stressed.
According to the law, those who maliciously modify the lyrics, or play or sing the national anthem in a distorted or disrespectful way in public, may face punishments including deprivation of political rights, criminal detention and imprisonment of up to three years for serious violations.
The National Anthem Law was adopted at an NPC Standing Committee session in September, and came into force last month.
"March of the Volunteers" was chosen as China's national anthem in 1949. It has encouraged Chinese soldiers and civilians during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.