Wang urges HK media to promote Constitution

The central government’s top liaison official in Hong Kong has called on the city’s media to do more to promote the country’s Constitution in their future news coverage.

Wang Zhimin, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, made the call at an annual spring dinner with senior staff of the city’s media industry last Friday.

Since its return to the country, the SAR has gone through a significant transition in terms of its constitutional order, Wang quoted President Xi Jinping as saying during his visit to the city in July last year. This has positioned both the country’s Constitution and the SAR’s Basic Law as Hong Kong’s constitutional foundations.

The upcoming Two Sessions — the annual plenary meetings of the National People’s Congress and the nation’s top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference — will deliberate on the bills over certain amendments to the Constitution.

Wang said proper amendments are needed as the nation’s development evolves. In the past five years, Xi has attached great importance to the Constitution and the rule of law, Wang said. Thus, he hoped that Hong Kong media can promote and elaborate more on the Constitution.

By so doing, Wang expects the city to develop a favorable atmosphere to enable the people to “respect, study and uphold” the Constitution. He hoped the media’s efforts would enhance Hong Kong people’s general awareness of the Constitution and the nation, especially among the city’s young people.

And, as the city merges with the nation’s global development strategies, Wang urged Hong Kong media to provide adequate and accurate coverage of relevant policies and development opportunities.

Wang, who assumed office in September last year, also vowed to reach out more to people across various sectors in Hong Kong, especially the media.