LCQ14: Follow-up work on an occurrence of playing of wrong tune rather than national anthem
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 Board 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 melody firmly connected with the uproars and the showings for Hong Kong freedom in 2019 as China’s national anthem. There are remarks bringing up that the occurrence has genuinely subverted the nobility 香港國歌 of the nation and Hong Kong. Besides, despite the fact that Asia Rugby has affirmed that the recording of China’s national anthem presented 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 put together 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 regarding the reason why, in light of the current situation that some unacceptable tune was played rather than the national anthem, the Hong Kong Group didn’t step up to the plate and solicitation suspension of its playing and cabin a dissent;
(2) whether it has examined assuming the Hong Kong National Security Regulation is pertinent to this episode;
(3) as it is discovered that certain individuals who have emigrated have, in regard of this occurrence, prompted 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 an itemized examination cover this episode to this Gathering; assuming this is the case, of the plan; in the event that not, the explanations behind that?
Answer:
President,
The Hong Kong Unique Managerial District (HKSAR) Government emphatically despises and goes against the playing of a melody firmly connected with vicious 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 episode, 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 occurrence was expected for a human blunder from a lesser individual from the neighborhood coordinator (specifically the Korea Rugby Association). At its web-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, exceptionally visited Hong Kong from Dubai to make sense of the episode for the Central Secretary for Organization face to face. He repeated that the episode was because of a human blunder completely with no political or vindictive purpose, and embraced to fortify significant methodology and guarantee no comparable misstep would reoccur.
To keep any comparative slip-up from reoccurring, the HKSAR Government has liaised with the Hong Kong Sports League and Olympic Board of Hong Kong, China and the Hong Kong Paralympic Panel. 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 depiction by abroad occasion coordinators of the National Anthem of the PRC and the Provincial Banner of the HKSAR, and furthermore expect them to proactively approach their comparing international and Asian games alliances to guarantee that our National Anthem and Territorial Banner get the legitimate regard justified.
Having counseled the Security Agency and the Established and Central area Undertakings Department, 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 main occurrence after they understood that a mistaken tune 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 service for Hong Kong group after it had won.
(2) and (3) The Coordinated Wrongdoing and Set of three Department of the Police is examining the occurrence of some unacceptable National Anthem being played when the Hong Kong Rugby Crew contended abroad. The Police are researching on the off chance that there has been any infringement of the National Anthem Statute, National Banner and National Seal Mandate or other Hong Kong regulations in the occurrences. The Police’s examination is progressing and will keep on moving toward significant people and associations for finding out the event of the episodes and assortment of proof.
The Web is certainly not an unbelievable world that is past the law. The vast majority of the regulations in Hong Kong ordered to forestall violations in reality are on a basic level material to the web-based world. Any individual or association distributing data on the Web should conform to the pertinent necessities under the National Security Regulation and neighborhood regulations. In the event that any unlawful demonstrations are uncovered, policing will expect the pertinent people or associations criminally to take responsibility.
What’s more, we should underline that the National Security Regulation makes extraterritorial difference. Notwithstanding where the people or associations which disregard 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 occurrence, the National Security Regulation has obviously specified four classes of offenses that jeopardize national security, in particular severance, disruption of state power, psychological oppressor exercises, and plot with a far off country 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 progressing, we shouldn’t remark on individual case.
Regardless, jeopardizing national security is an intense wrongdoing. Nobody ought to endeavor to violate the law, to try not to bear any superfluous legitimate dangers. In the event 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 Mandate and the National Banner and National Token Law, we will follow up as per the law.
(4) We totally can’t acknowledge that a tune firmly connected with rough 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 assumed a sense of ownership with the episode and embraced to guarantee no comparable mix-up would repeat. In light of at present accessible data, we have hitherto not had any motivation to accept that any political elements or malignant aim was involved.
As referenced over, the Police is exploring the situation regarding whether there has been any infringement of the National Anthem Mandate or some other Hong Kong regulations in the episode. The Public authority will, in light of the aftereffects of the examination, make a suitable subsequent move.