Recruits who joined the Hong Kong Public Service after the enactment of the city’s National Security Law are to be required to declare allegiance to the city, the head of the Public Service has announced.
Patrick Nip Tak Kuen (pictured) said those who then violated the pledge could be branded as subversives.
Mr Nip said notices would be issued to each Department ordering that the oaths be administered to all workers who joined the Public Service on or after 1 July when the National Security Law came into force.
The new requirement came after dozens of Public Servants were arrested in connection with last year’s protests over controversial legislation authorising extradition to Mainland China.
Last month, Mr Nip revealed that 46 Public Servants had been suspended for allegedly taking part in “illegal activities”.
Mr Nip said breaching the oath would be regarded as a “very serious matter”.
Public Servants found guilty would be sacked immediately and barred from taking up public office.
He said those who were not loyal to the semi-autonomous region and its constitution, the Basic Law, could be seen as not supporting One Country, Two Systems, or disagreeing with the idea of Hong Kong being part of China.
Subversion is now criminalised in Hong Kong under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law, which also bans secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts, broadly defined to include disruption to public transport and other infrastructure.
Hong Kong, 14 October 2020
