National Anthem Law becomes effective Friday

The Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has signed the National Anthem Bill in accordance with the  Basic Law, the government said in a statement.

The bill will come into effect immediately after it is published in the gazette on Friday.

"Like the national flag and the national emblem, the national anthem is the symbol and sign of the nation. As an inalienable part of China, the HKSAR is duty-bound to preserve the dignity of the national anthem through legislation," Lam said in the statement.

The Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress passed the Law of the People's Republic of China on National Anthem on September 1, 2017, and added the Law to Annex III to the Basic Law on November 4 in the same year.

According to Article 18 of the Basic Law, the national laws listed in Annex III to the Basic Law shall be applied locally by way of promulgation or legislation by Hong Kong.