Chief Secretary Hails Electoral Reform, Security Law

"); jQuery("#212 h3").html("

Related News Programmes

"); });

2021-04-11 HKT 08:15

Share this story

facebook

  • Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung says Hong Kong has largely reverted to the "Hong Kong that we all know and love". Photo: RTHK

    Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung says Hong Kong has largely reverted to the "Hong Kong that we all know and love". Photo: RTHK

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung has defended proposed changes to the city’s electoral system. Speaking on RTHK’s Letter to Hong Kong, he said the reforms - alongside the Beijing-imposed National Security Law - are needed to ensure the SAR is run by people who will champion "One Country, Two Systems".

Cheung said patriotism - like national security - was an "accepted international norm" when outlining the objectives of the reforms.

He said the changes will not impinge on the rights of Hong Kong residents to vote or to stand for election, and candidates of any political background can stand for election and be elected in accordance with the law.

The chief secretary also used his letter to promote the SAR's first "National Security Education Day" on Thursday - which will feature activities to raise awareness about national security. He said the impact of the Beijing-imposed law on restoring law and order on the SAR has been "telling".

He said "violence has all but disappeared. Advocacy of Hong Kong independence has subsided. Stability has been restored.

This means that you can now move about without fearing for your personal safety. It means, too, that you are free to express your views openly, while being respectful of the rights of others and not undermining national security.

Our rule of law and judicial independence remain solid and strong. So, too, are our basic rights and freedoms, including the freedom of speech, of the press, publication, association, assembly, procession and demonstration.

In short, Hong Kong has largely reverted to the safe, rational, inclusive and vibrant society it has long been celebrated for. The Hong Kong that we all know and love."

RECENT NEWS

StartmeupHK Festival And Hong Kong Fintech Week 2025 Merge For 10th Anniversary Milestone

Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced on 10 March 2025 that both of its flagship events, Hong Kong Fintech Week 2025 an... Read more

Ant AI-Powered Health Insurance Processes 7.25M Claims In 2024, 55%YoY Increase

In 2024, Ant Insurance, the online insurance brokerage platform of Ant Group, processed 7.25 million health claims, mar... Read more

Ping An Talent Uses AI For Job Matching, But Can Technology Make Recruitment Fairer?

Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. has launched its 2025 Spring Campus Recruitment, offering over 2,000 p... Read more

HKEX Partners With CMU OmniClear To Boost Post-Trade Securities Infrastructure

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) announced on 4 March 2025 that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding ... Read more

PAObank Secures Insurance Agency Licence, Partners With Ping An And FWD Hong Kong

PAO Bank Limited (PAObank) has received its Insurance Agency Licence from the Insurance Authority and signed strategic ... Read more

IFAST Launches Self-Service Accounts For Hong Kong Family Offices

Fintech solutions provider iFAST HK launches self-service accounts in Hong Kong, catering to the growing demand for ind... Read more