The Hong Kong government held a ceremony at its headquarters on Wednesday (December 16) for its chief executives to swear allegiance to the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
It was the first such ceremony since Beijing introduced a national security law in late June. Observers point out that the national security law is enacted and implemented by Beijing, bypassing Hong Kong’s executive and legislative bodies. The precedent suggests that Beijing can make Hong Kong’s laws politically by bypassing Hong Kong, and that a civil servant loyal to the government is in effect loyal to the Communist Party.
The first batch of officials to take the oath were all political appointees, including 12 deputy directors and 14 political assistants. Hong Kong chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor presided over the ceremony.
A spokesman for the Hong Kong Government said this was the first time the government had taken the oath of office. A ceremony for permanent secretaries and heads of departments will also be held on December 18.
According to a circular issued by the Civil Service Bureau in October, civil servants who join the GOVERNMENT after July 1 this year are required to take an oath or sign a declaration of allegiance. This will become part of the civil service’s terms of employment.
The spokesman said the “solemn commitment” made by officials to the community “will enhance public confidence in political appointees and is of great significance.”
Last year, Beijing was alarmed by months of massive antigovernment protests in Hong Kong that included many civil servants. In June, China’s national Security law was pushed by the National People’s Congress in Hong Kong with the main aim of suppressing Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp comprehensively and liquidating those who played a major role in the demonstrations. It also aims to clean up Hong Kong’s civil service, demand loyalty from Hong Kong officials to the Basic Law and the government, and further demand their loyalty to Beijing.
According to the Hong Kong Security Law, “Residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall, when standing for election or assuming public office, sign documents in accordance with the law, affirm or swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and uphold the Basic Law.”
After the enactment of the National Security Law, the Civil Service Bureau of the Hong Kong Government has put forward the requirement for civil servants to remain politically neutral. According to the Civil Service Code, “Civil servants must uphold the rule of law, perform their duties faithfully, be impartial and politically neutral… Must be completely loyal to the incumbent Chief Executive and the Government.”
Hong Kong’s secretary for the Civil Service, Kenneth Nie, said last week that swearing or signing the declaration was a requirement for new civil servants to enter the civil service, and those who refused to take the oath or sign would not be able to join the service.
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