Pro-establishment lawmakers insist Hong Kong universities be held to same rules on flag-raising as other schools
- The calls come as the city moves to bring its own regulations on displaying the Chinese flag in line with amendments recently passed in Beijing
- Undersecretary for Education Christine Choi says it is unclear whether the new rules would apply to universities, drawing criticism from pro-establishment bloc
Hong Kong universities – not just primary and secondary schools – should also be required to hold a flag-raising ceremony once a week, pro-establishment lawmakers said on Thursday, telling the government that “nowhere is above the law”.
The calls from the legislators came as the city sought to strengthen its National Flag and National Emblem Ordinance in a bid to bring it in line with recent amendments from Beijing.
In October, China’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, passed a series of changes to the state version of the legislation, which has been included as an annex to Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, since the city’s return to Chinese rule in 1997.
Among the amendments were requirements for schools to hold a flag-raising ceremony once a week and fly the national flag every day, except during holidays.
While the Hong Kong government said it would “suitably incorporate” the articles involving schools into local legislation, Undersecretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin on Thursday did not give lawmakers a concrete answer as to whether universities would be included.
“We are still trying to clarify with the central government on this,” Choi told the Legislative Council’s constitutional affairs panel on Thursday.