CE vows to step up efforts to promote nation’s Constitution
“The ‘self-determination’ notion peddled in some corners of Hong Kong is politically wrong and logically absurd. … Advocation of self-determination or Hong Kong independence contravenes the Constitution and the Basic Law, and should be firmly opposed.”
Wong Yuk-shan, member of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee and president of the Open University of Hong Kong
“I do feel that our civil servants and also our teachers in particular … need to learn more about the relationship between the Constitution and the Basic Law. Because they are the ones who have to carry out policies in Hong Kong and teach our students.”
David Wong Yau-kar, non-official member of the Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee
“Ensuring a correct understanding of the country’s Constitution and the Basic Law among young people is a prerequisite to assuring the long-term success of Hong Kong and to prevent the city from being exploited and destabilized by others.”
Ng Leung-sing, Hong Kong deputy to the National People’s Congress
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor vowed to step up efforts to promote education on the country’s Constitution and the city’s constitutional document — the Basic Law — to young people as well as civil servants.
Addressing the city’s third National Constitution Day forum on Wednesday, the city’s leader said the government will continue to bolster Hong Kong people’s awareness of their national identity through educational activities featuring the Constitution and the Basic Law.
Lam said the Constitution and the Basic Law form the legal basis of “one country, two systems”, a practice all Hong Kong people should respect and preserve.
All of Hong Kong society should realize there is no “two systems” without “one country”, Lam said, adding that she hopes the city can play its unique role in the country’s future development.
Lam also reiterated that stopping violence in accordance with the law remains at the top of her government’s agenda.
Hong Kong remains embroiled in anti-government riots and violence as what started as protests against the government’s proposed amendments to the city’s extradition laws have seized on anti-mainland sentiment over the course of nearly six months.
The city’s rule of law has come under incessant challenges from radical protesters. Police have made some 5,890 arrests since mid-June, with 40 percent being students, including 910 teenagers.
The Civil Service Bureau has received more than 40 complaints about civil servants’ alleged involvement in unlawful assemblies, violent activities or open discrediting of the “one country, two systems” principle.
Wednesday’s forum, themed “Constitution and National Development”, marks the third year in a row that
Hong Kong has celebrated National Constitution Day.
The Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee, founded in 1998 shortly after Hong Kong returned to its motherland, has been organizing thematic seminars, online media promotion, regular roving exhibitions, and visits to schools and communities in a bid to interpret the relationship between the Constitution and the Basic Law.
The concepts of the Basic Law and “one country, two systems” are included in the General Studies for primary students and Liberal Studies for secondary students.
The Education Bureau has developed a “Constitution and the Basic Law” module, as well as the Planning and Self-evaluation Tool for schools to evaluate their Basic Law education.
Promotional activities targeting young people related to the Constitution and the Basic Law also take place at the community level, including quiz competitions, seminars, youth publications, thematic exhibitions and interactive games in the Civic Education Resource Centre.