Hong Kong Executive Council’s move to table national anthem bill stirs controversy

Hong Kong’s Executive Council has decided to table a controversial bill that, among other things, will encourage schools to teach children about China’s national anthem and spell out penalties for insulting the song.

The bill will be put before the Legislative Council later this month, but it is uncertain if it will be approved before the legislature’s summer recess begins in July.

China’s top legislature passed the same law in late 2017, but Legco’s scrutiny of Hong Kong’s version could last for months.

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip Tak-kuen will appear at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon to explain the details of the bill.