National Anthem Law to be Implemented in Hong Kong, Macao

China’s top legislature on Saturday adopted decisions to apply the newly-adopted National Anthem Law in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

The National Anthem Law, taking effect on October 1, will be included in Annex III of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and Annex III in the Basic Law of the Macao SAR, which lists national laws to be applied in the two regions, according to the decisions adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at a bi-monthly session, which closed on Saturday. The NPC Standing Committee may add or delete laws listed in Annex III after consulting the committees of the basic laws of Hong Kong and Macao SARs under the NPC Standing Committee and the two SAR governments.

The two committees and two SAR governments have agreed that it is in line with the SAR basic laws and appropriate to add the National Anthem Law to the Annex III, according to Zhang Rongshun, deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee.

“In recent years, incidents of disrespecting the national anthem had occurred in Hong Kong, challenging the bottom line of the principle of ‘one country, two systems’ and social morality, and triggering rage among Chinese including most Hong Kong residents,” Mr Zhang said.

“It is urgent and important to apply the National Anthem Law in Hong Kong, in a bid to prevent and handle such offences.”