Hong Kong’s No. 2 leader stressed on Wednesday that it is the city’s constitutional duty to legislate on the national anthem.

National anthem is the symbol of a country. The HKSAR, as an inseparable part of China, has the constitutional duty to legislate on the national anthem, said Matthew Cheung

National anthem is the symbol of a country. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as an inseparable part of China, has the constitutional duty to legislate on the national anthem, said Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, chief secretary for administration. 

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The bill was tabled in the Legislative Council in January last year. Seventeen meetings and over 50 hours were spent on the bill since then. The second reading was resumed Wednesday morning. 

Talking to the press at the LegCo Wednesday, Cheung expressed his hope that the legislature would make concrete progress on the National Anthem Bill. 

“It’s an international practice to observe in solemnity when national anthem is being played. Why should Hong Kong be the exception?”

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Cheung iterated that the law-to-be won’t affect freedom or rights enjoyed by residents as long as people don’t deliberately and openly insult the national anthem. 

He hoped the public and legislators will be able to remain calm and rational during discussion on the bill and won’t resort to violence.