Hong Kong to set up ‘high-level unit to promote patriotic education’ in response to new national law passed on Tuesday

In response to a new national law passed on Tuesday, Hong Kong authorities are planning to establish a high-level unit. This law outlines objectives and guiding principles to enhance patriotism throughout the country. John Lee Ka-chiu, the Chief Executive, will announce the formation of this new coordination unit to foster patriotic education during his second policy address on Wednesday. In addition to this, the government intends to establish a new office to promote traditional Chinese culture and a museum to honor the city's resistance against Japanese occupation during World War II. The new initiatives are in line with the patriotic education bill passed by the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on Tuesday. This bill was designed to establish content, goals, guiding principles, and a leadership mechanism for patriotic education, as well as the responsibilities of the departments involved. The new law, which consists of 40 articles in five chapters, also defines the role of schools and families in implementing patriotic education. It will take effect on January 1 next year and applies to those in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, as well as Chinese people living abroad. Starry Lee Wai-king, the sole local delegate to the NPC Standing Committee, stated that Beijing would closely monitor Hong Kong's implementation of patriotic education, even though the city is not legally obligated to enforce the new law. She emphasized that the city was under scrutiny for delivering results in this regard. The law stipulates that the country will take measures to enhance Hongkongers' recognition of Chinese culture and consciousness to safeguard national unity. She also expressed her anticipation for the high-level group to be established by the city government, as implementing patriotic education requires not only the Education Bureau but also interdepartmental efforts. Professor Lau Siu-kai, a consultant with the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, stated that the essence of the new law was to encourage residents to support and uphold the Communist Party. He emphasized the importance of raising Hong Kong people's understanding and respect towards the party. He also stressed the necessity for Hong Kong people to undergo patriotic education to understand their responsibility in safeguarding national security and ethnic unity. Wong Kwan-yu, a former secondary school principal, suggested that the city should incorporate patriotic education in curriculums in a systematic way, setting different learning goals for students at different stages. For instance, kindergarten pupils should learn how to sing the national anthem by the time they graduate. Chu Kwok-keung, an education sector lawmaker, argued that authorities should solicit views from the school sector before rolling out more initiatives on this front. He pointed out that the workload for schools on national education has already been quite heavy, and it is time to review how to improve its quality instead of quantity.