Govt has duty to enact National Anthem Law

Legislator and barrister Priscilla Leung Mei-fun regretted the bill to legislate the local version of National Anthem Law was not introduced to the legislature before its summer recess.

The special administrative region government will introduce a national anthem bill in Legislative Council when the legislature re-convenes in October; originally authorities had hoped to do so this month, before the summer recess.

Explaining the delay, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip Tak-kuen said in an interview with RTHK that the government would use the extra time to prepare a more precise, detailed bill.

“More time is needed at the fermentation stage of the national anthem bill in the community,” Leung said. “The summer holiday, which should be good for public consultation, is now lost as a result of the delayed introduction of the bill.”

The opposition camp is expected to rally against the national anthem bill, as they often do against mainland-related issues, with the Civic Party’s Dennis Kwok Wing-hang openly claiming there is no urgency to enact a National Anthem Law in Hong Kong.

Commenting on Kwok’s remark, Leung criticizes the “pan-democrats” for not understanding nearly enough about the country, the Basic Law and “one country, two systems”.

She pointed out: “Given the National Anthem Law has been enacted on the

If Hong Kong enacts the National Anthem Law, Hong Kong citizens and LegCo can give their suggestions and discuss the content of the legislation.”

Priscilla Leung Mei-fun,

mainland and is incorporated into Annex III of the Basic law, the Hong Kong SAR Government is duty-bound to legislate for the national anthem as soon as possible. Otherwise, the central government may promulgate directly a National Anthem Law for implementation in Hong Kong.

“If Hong Kong enacts the National Anthem Law, Hong Kong citizens and LegCo can give their suggestions and discuss the content of the legislation. In case the central government decides to bring a National Anthem Law into the HKSAR, Hong Kong citizens will not have the chance to give their views,” she said.

“The same is for legislation of national security law under Article 23 of the Basic Law, which requires the HKSAR to make a law on its own. If Article 23 legislation is delayed further, the central authorities may perhaps bring a national security law into Hong Kong,” Leung added.