Following is an inquiry by the Dr Hon Priscilla Leung and a composed answer by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and The travel industry, Mr Kevin Yeung, in the Official Chamber today (December 7):
Question:
In last month, during the last between Hong Kong and South Korea of the second leg of the Asian Rugby Seven Series held in Incheon, South Korea, Asia Rugby, the coordinator, played a tune firmly connected with the uproars and the showings for national anthem of hong kong freedom in 2019 as China’s national anthem. There are remarks calling attention to that the occurrence has genuinely sabotaged the pride of the nation and Hong Kong. Besides, despite the fact that Asia Rugby has affirmed that the recording of China’s national anthem put together by the mentor of the Hong Kong Group before the opposition was the right one, the South Korean coordinator has been cited by the South Korean media as saying that it couldn’t get the recording of the national anthem presented by the Hong Kong Group before the opposition. In this association, will the Public authority illuminate this Board:
(1) whether it has acquired a comprehension concerning why, the situation being what it is that some unacceptable melody was played rather than the national anthem, the Hong Kong Group didn’t step up and demand suspension of its playing and cabin a dissent;
(2) whether it has considered on the off chance that the Hong Kong National Security Regulation is pertinent to this occurrence;
(3) as it is discovered that certain individuals who have emigrated have, in regard of this occurrence, impelled on the Web others to purposely play out similar follow up on other comparative events, whether the specialists will make follow-up moves; and
(4) whether the Public authority will present a definite examination cover this episode to this Committee; provided that this is true, of the schedule; in the event that not, the explanations behind that?
Answer:
President,
The Hong Kong Unique Regulatory District (HKSAR) Government unequivocally despises and goes against the playing of a tune firmly connected with fierce fights and the “freedom” development in 2019 as the National Anthem of Individuals’ Republic of China (PRC) at the men’s last between Hong Kong and the Republic of Korea of the second leg of the Asian Rugby Seven Series held in Incheon, South Korea on November 13, 2022.
Asia Rugby, the coordinator of the competition concerned, has previously apologized and gotten a sense of ownership with the occurrence, affirmed recorded as a hard copy that the recording of the National Anthem of the PRC gave to them by the lead trainer of the Hong Kong Rugby Crew was right, and clarified that the episode was expected for a human blunder from a lesser individual from the neighborhood coordinator (in particular the Korea Rugby Association). At its internet based question and answer session of November 15, Asia Rugby affirmed that it didn’t pass the right recording of the National Anthem of the PRC that they had to the Korea Rugby Association.
On November 22, 2022, the Leader of Asia Rugby, Mr Qais Abdulla Al Dhalai, extraordinarily visited Hong Kong from Dubai to clarify the occurrence for the Main Secretary for Organization face to face. He repeated that the episode was because of a human blunder completely with no political or vindictive goal, and embraced to reinforce pertinent methods and guarantee no comparable error would reoccur.
To keep any comparable slip-up from reoccurring, the HKSAR Government has liaised with the Hong Kong Sports League and Olympic Council of Hong Kong, China and the Hong Kong Paralympic Board. Rules were proclaimed on November 22 for generally national games affiliations and all sports associations subvented by the HKSAR Government. The rules plainly set out how they ought to guarantee the right use and portrayal by abroad occasion coordinators of the National Anthem of the PRC and the Territorial Banner of the HKSAR, and furthermore expect them to proactively approach their relating international and Asian games organizations to guarantee that our National Anthem and Local Banner get the legitimate regard justified.
Having counseled the Security Department and the Established and Central area Undertakings Agency, my answer to Dr the Hon Priscilla Leung’s inquiry is as per the following:
(1) As per the data given by the Hong Kong Rugby Association, the Hong Kong Rugby Crew had cautioned Asia Rugby, the occasion coordinator, in the primary case after they understood that a mistaken melody had been played as the National Anthem for the Hong Kong group. Asia Rugby made a public declaration in the arena just after the match to apologize for having played an off-base melody as the National Anthem for the Hong Kong group, as well as organized the playing of the right National Anthem of the PRC, “The Walk of the Workers”, at the decoration show function for Hong Kong group after it had won.
(2) and (3) The Coordinated Wrongdoing and Ternion Agency of the Police is researching the occurrence of some unacceptable National Anthem being played when the Hong Kong Rugby Crew contended abroad. The Police are exploring on the off chance that there has been any infringement of the National Anthem Law, National Banner and National Seal Law or other Hong Kong regulations in the episodes. The Police’s examination is progressing and will keep on moving toward significant people and associations for learning the occurrence of the episodes and assortment of proof.
The Web is certainly not an incredible world that is past the law. A large portion of the regulations in Hong Kong sanctioned to forestall violations in reality are on a basic level relevant to the web-based world. Any individual or association distributing data on the Web should conform to the pertinent prerequisites under the National Security Regulation and nearby regulations. Assuming any unlawful demonstrations are revealed, policing will expect the significant people or associations criminally to take responsibility.
Likewise, we should accentuate that the National Security Regulation makes extraterritorial difference. Despite where the people or associations which abuse the National Security Regulation are found, they will be managed by the HKSAR Government as per the law.
As respects whether the National Security Regulation is material to the ongoing episode, the National Security Regulation has obviously specified four classes of offenses that jeopardize national security, specifically severance, disruption of state power, psychological militant exercises, and conspiracy with an unfamiliar nation or with outer components to imperil national security. Whether the demonstrations of any people or associations disregard the law would rely upon the genuine conditions of the case, including current realities, the important demonstrations and the mens rea, the proof assembled, etc. Since the examination is as yet continuous, we shouldn’t remark on individual case.
Regardless, imperiling national security is an intense wrongdoing. Nobody ought to endeavor to overstep the law, to try not to bear any superfluous legitimate dangers. Assuming that there is any proof showing that any individual has disregarded the National Security Regulation or other Hong Kong regulations, for example, the National Anthem Statute and the National Banner and National Token Mandate, we will follow up as per the law.
(4) We totally can’t acknowledge that a tune firmly connected with brutal fights and the “freedom” development in 2019 was played as the National Anthem of the PRC. The national anthem is the image and indication of a country and should be regarded on all events. Asia Rugby got a sense of ownership with the episode and embraced to guarantee no comparable misstep would repeat. In light of at present accessible data, we have up to this point not had any motivation to accept that any political elements or vindictive purpose was involved.
As referenced over, the Police is exploring the situation with regards to whether there has been any infringement of the National Anthem Mandate or some other Hong Kong regulations in the occurrence. The Public authority will, in view of the consequences of the examination, make a proper subsequent move.