17 May 2023獨媒#6452
Democratic Party: District councils lose original government-monitoring role, become bodies to ‘undertake other matters entrusted by the government’
當局的「完善地區治理建議方案」諮詢，於昨日（5月16日）截止。民主黨有提交意見書，稱對方案表示十分失望。該黨提到區議會職能被大幅改變，由原來的「由下而上」監察政府，變為「由上而下」地「承擔政府委托的其他事宜」。
The consultation on the authorities’ “Proposals for Improving District Governance” closed yesterday (16 May). The Democratic Party submitted its views, expressing deep disappointment with the proposals. The party said the functions of district councils had been substantially changed, from monitoring the government “from the bottom up” to “undertaking other matters entrusted by the government” in a “top-down” manner.
17 May 2023獨媒#6453
Government Expands Talent List to 51 Categories; Film Professionals Must Have Won Oscars or Other International Awards, or Worked on a Hong Kong Film Grossing Over HK$30 Million
政府繼續「搶人才」，昨日（5月16日）公布擴大「人才清單」，將涵蓋專業由13項增至51項，包括提供醫療程序的醫生、牙醫、護士；亦包括建築專業，例如測量師、土木工程師、結構工程師等。輸入的專才需符合資歷要求，其中「電影方面的創意產業專才」，要求曾獲奧斯卡等國際電影節獎項，或任何一部在香港取得至少3,000萬港元票房的電影中擔任主要角色的人士。
The Government continued its efforts to attract talent and announced yesterday (May 16) that it would expand the Talent List, increasing the number of covered professions from 13 to 51. They include doctors, dentists and nurses who provide medical procedures, as well as professionals in architecture and related fields, such as surveyors, civil engineers and structural engineers. Imported professionals must meet the relevant qualification requirements. For creative industry professionals in film, applicants must have won awards at the Oscars or other international film festivals, or have played a major role in a film that grossed at least HK$30 million in Hong Kong.
15 May 2023獨媒#6439
Regional Flag and Regional Emblem Ordinance Has No Extraterritorial Jurisdiction; Erick Tsang Says National Security Law Applies in Serious Cases
政府提出修訂《區旗及區徽條例》，禁止公開及故意侮辱區旗和區徽，與《國旗及國徽條例》看齊。政府建議修例訂明，罪行涵蓋現實生活及網絡世界，有議員關心境外違法如何執法，政制及內地事務局長曾國衞今在立法會表示條例不具域外法權，但強調非常重視保護國旗區旗，如案件「好嚴重、好惡劣」，《國安法》將適用。另有議員關注學校未必有位豎立兩支旗桿，曾國衞稱明白現實世界限制，教育局會有指引說明國旗優先。
The Government has proposed amending the Regional Flag and Regional Emblem Ordinance to prohibit the public and intentional desecration of the regional flag and regional emblem, bringing it into line with the National Flag and National Emblem Ordinance. The Government proposed specifying that the offences cover both the real world and the online world. In response to legislators’ concern about enforcement of offences committed outside Hong Kong, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang said in the Legislative Council today that the ordinance would not have extraterritorial jurisdiction. He stressed that the protection of the national and regional flags was taken very seriously, and that the National Security Law would apply if a case were “very serious and very egregious”. Another legislator raised concern that schools might not have room to erect two flagpoles. Tsang said he understood the practical limitations and that the Education Bureau would issue guidelines stating that the national flag takes priority.
12 May 2023獨媒#6433
Erick Tsang: District councils need not be formed through elections; saying they are part of the democratic process is a change of concept
「完善」區議會方案上周出爐，立法會研究完善地區治理建議方案小組委員會今（12日）舉行首次會議。政制及內地事務局局長曾國衞在會上強調，《基本法》從無就區議會組成作說明，甚至無提述「區議會」三字，指區議會不一定由選舉產生。對於有聲音指區議會為特區民主進程一部份，曾國衞就反駁是「偷換概念」、「子虛烏有」，強調《基本法》從無提及區議會有「民主成份」，形容有關說法是「僭建」。
The proposal to “improve” district councils was released last week, and the Legislative Council Subcommittee to Study the Proposals on Improving District Governance held its first meeting today (12th). Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai stressed at the meeting that the Basic Law had never specified how district councils should be composed and did not even mention the words “district councils”, saying that district councils need not be formed through elections. In response to views that district councils are part of the democratic process of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Tsang rejected the claim as “a change of concept” and “entirely unfounded”. He stressed that the Basic Law had never mentioned that district councils had any “democratic elements”, describing the claim as an “unauthorised addition”.
12 May 2023獨媒#6434
[Zunzi Cartoons] John Lee: Books That Break the Law or Promote Morally Harmful Ideas Cannot Be Borrowed
尊子漫畫近半年被政府多次點名批評，《明報》今日報導康文署公共圖書將尊子作品下架，康文署稱涉嫌內容可能違反國家安全或香港法律的書籍，都會立即下架以作檢視。特首李家超在重慶返港後回應事件，他指政府會根據《國安法》審視，亦會考慮書藉是否「淫褻及不雅」，「帶動我哋覺得道德上不良意識」。
Zunzi’s cartoons have been repeatedly singled out for criticism by the government over the past six months. Ming Pao reported today that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department had removed Zunzi’s works from public libraries. The department said books suspected of containing content that might violate national security or Hong Kong laws would be immediately removed for review. Chief Executive John Lee responded after returning from Chongqing, saying the government would assess the matter under the National Security Law and would also consider whether the books were “obscene and indecent” or “promoted morally harmful ideas.”
10 May 2023明報#6421
Proposed Amendments to Regional Flag and Regional Emblem Ordinance to Cover Online Insults and Set Prosecution Time Limit
政制及內地事務局昨日向立法會提交文件，提出修訂《區旗及區徽條例》，當中分為8項細節，大部分是對應早前《國旗及國徽條例》的修訂。其中在保護區旗及區徽方面，政府建議修例訂明，侮辱區旗及區徽的罪行明確地「涵蓋現實生活及網絡世界」，並列明檢控時限。有關項目將於下周一的政制事務委員會審議。
The Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau submitted a paper to the Legislative Council yesterday proposing amendments to the Regional Flag and Regional Emblem Ordinance. The proposals comprise eight details, most of which correspond to earlier amendments to the National Flag and National Emblem Ordinance. In relation to protection of the regional flag and regional emblem, the Government proposes specifying in the amended ordinance that the offence of insulting them clearly covers “the real world and the online world”, and setting a time limit for prosecution. The proposals will be considered by the Constitutional Affairs Panel next Monday.
10 May 2023獨媒#6423
LegCo passes curbs on foreign lawyers taking national security cases
黎智英國安案觸發的釋法風波，律政司最終提出《法律執業者條例》修訂，設多重關卡審查海外律師參與國家安全案件。立法會今日恢復辯論，法律界林新強指方案未一刀切禁止海外律師，只是由特首和律政司分別擔任龍門及後衛，「但英國曼聯足球隊，都有個後衛叫『麥麥送』，無法擔保久守不會出錯。」修訂最終在不記名投票下，三讀舉手通過，無人舉手反對。
The controversy over the interpretation of the law triggered by Jimmy Lai’s national security case ultimately led the Department of Justice to propose amendments to the Legal Practitioners Ordinance, creating multiple layers of scrutiny for overseas lawyers participating in national security cases. The Legislative Council resumed debate today. Ambrose San Keung Lam of the legal sector said the proposal did not impose a blanket ban on overseas lawyers, but instead made the Chief Executive and the Secretary for Justice the “goalkeeper” and “defender” respectively: “But Manchester United also have a defender called ‘Maimaisong’, and there is no guarantee that making a prolonged defence will not lead to mistakes.” The amendment ultimately passed its third reading by a show of hands in an anonymous vote, with no one raising a hand against it.
9 May 2023光傳媒#6416
Communications Authority empowered to issue directives on news and current-affairs programmes; Commerce Bureau says there will be no prior censorship
三間免費電視台的服務牌照早前完成中期檢討，《光傳媒》發現港府授權通訊事務管理局，可不定期就「指定播放節目」發出書面指示，當中包括了新聞、時事節目。新聞學者杜耀明憂慮指示或影響節目製作，「變咗Director（指令者）角色囉，這是一個史無前例做法」。商務及經濟發展局回覆《光傳媒》，授權讓通訊局更靈活調整指定播放節目的規定，切合最新廣播環境和觀眾需求，強調通訊局不會預先審查任何節目的內容。
The service licences of three free-to-air television stations recently underwent a mid-term review. Photon Media found that the Hong Kong government had authorised the Communications Authority to issue written directions from time to time on “specified programmes”, including news and current-affairs programmes. Journalism scholar To Yiu-ming expressed concern that the directions could affect programme production, saying, “It has become the Director (the one issuing instructions), which is an unprecedented move.” The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau told Photon Media that the authorisation would give the Communications Authority greater flexibility to adjust the requirements for specified programmes in line with the latest broadcasting environment and audience needs, stressing that the Authority would not pre-censor the content of any programme.
7 May 2023獨媒#6413
Lam Ting-kwok: District councils do not possess political powers such as monitoring the government
「完善」區議會方案日前出爐，律政司司長林定國發表網誌，指區議會必須依循《基本法》中有關「區域組織」的條款，即區域組織的性質是非政權性，並不具備任何政治權力，例如立法、徵收稅項、監察政府等。
The “improvement” plan for the District Councils was unveiled days ago. Secretary for Justice Lam Ting-kwok said in a blog post that the District Councils must comply with the provisions concerning “regional organisations” in the Basic Law. He said regional organisations are non-political bodies and do not possess any political powers, such as legislating, levying taxes or monitoring the government.
4 May 2023獨媒#6401
Hui Chi-fung and Other “Last-Term District Councillors” Sign Joint Statement Opposing “Improvement” of District Councils; Tsang Kwok-wai and Mak Mei-kuen Hit Back, Urging Them to Return to Hong Kong and Surrender
政府在周二（5月2日）公布「完善」地區治理方案，將區議會的直選比例由逾九成五大減至兩成，並設下多重關卡，並直接由民政專員出任主席。多名「末代民選區議員」聯署，稱本年底的區議會選舉為「虛假的選舉」，聯署人中包括前立法會議員許智峯。政制及內地事務局局長曾國衞及民政及青年事務局局長麥美娟，昨發表聯署文章反擊，斥其為虛假誤導貼文，又促對方回港自首，稱「別以為抱著外國乾爹大腿就可逍遙一世，兔死狗烹，乃千古之律！」
The Government announced its “improvement” plan for district governance on Tuesday (May 2), reducing the proportion of directly elected District Council members from more than 95% to 20%, introducing multiple hurdles, and having District Officers directly serve as chairpersons. Several “last-term elected district councillors” signed a joint statement calling this year-end’s District Council election a “fake election”; the signatories included former Legislative Council member Hui Chi-fung. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Tsang Kwok-wai and Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Mak Mei-kuen issued a joint article yesterday hitting back, condemning the signatories’ posts as false and misleading, and urging them to return to Hong Kong and surrender. They said: “Do not think that clinging to foreign godfathers will let you roam free for life. Once the rabbit dies, the hound is cooked; this has been the rule throughout the ages!”
Translations are supplied by the source workbook. Consult the original reporting for context.
