On February 23, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government announced the revised content of the Public Service Bill to improve the arrangements for public officials to take oaths and further establish the basic principle of "patriots ruling Hong Kong".
The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government held a press conference that afternoon to explain the "Public Service (Participation and Appointment) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2021".
The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Zeng Guowei, said that the SAR government proposes that the ordinance set out the interpretation of "supporting the Basic Law and loyal to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". If the words and deeds of the relevant personnel comply with the content of the positive list, they are deemed to meet the relevant statutory requirements and condition.
If the relevant person makes or intends to make the contents listed in the negative list, it will be deemed as not meeting the legal requirements.
Zeng Guowei made it clear that the negative list includes the following behaviors: committing acts or activities that endanger national security, refusing to recognize the People’s Republic of China’s ownership and exercise of sovereignty over the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, promoting or supporting the proposition of Hong Kong independence, seeking foreign governments or organizations to interfere in the affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Do damage or tend to damage the political system and order in the Basic Law dominated by the chief executive, insult or derogate the national sovereignty symbols such as the national anthem, etc.
(Reporter Fan Siyi produced Guo Shihao)
Editor in charge: [Ji Xiang]