A senior official from the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region (HKSAR) government Sunday quoted independent surveys as
saying that freedom of speech and press freedom have improved since
1997 when it returned to China.
Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology of HKSAR
government Joseph Wong made the remarks when speaking at the Hong
Kong Journalists Association 39th Anniversary Gala Dinner Sunday
night, citing surveys by the Public Opinion Program of the
University of Hong Kong.
According to the University of Hong Kong's independent surveys,
the rating for freedom of speech was 7.46 in January this year,
compared with 7.17 for freedom of speech in August 1997, just a
month after the handover of sovereignty in 1997.
Meanwhile, the rating for press freedom was upgraded to 7.40 in
January this year from 7.02 in August 1997.
"We have one of the freest societies in the world," Wong said.
"These freedoms did not leave us when Hong Kong became a Special
Administrative Region of China in 1997."
Freedom of speech and press freedom has been enshrined in
Article 27 and Article 4 of the Basic Law, a mini-constitution for
the special administrative region that guarantees a free media and
free expression and requires the HKSAR to safeguard the rights and
freedoms of residents in accordance with the law.
Wong said the HKSAR government has a constitutional duty to
protect freedom of the press, among other freedoms, adding Hong
Kong's independent judiciary ensures that no institution or
individual is above the law.
Wong said he was convinced that freedom of speech and critical
comments on every aspect of public administration provide the
necessary checks and balances in a modern and civil society.
As an international center of finance, commerce and
telecommunications, Wong said Hong Kong depends and thrives on
split-second and unfiltered flow of information, and consequently
boasts the largest number of newspapers per capita in the
world.
"Not only do they criticize the government, they also criticize
one another; and in so doing, they offer the full spectrum of
opinions and provide the necessary checks and balances," Wong
said.
(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2007)