Hong Kong Schools Ordered to Sing Chinese National Anthem, Fly China Flag

The Hong Kong government has issued new guidance instructing all primary and secondary schools in the territory to display the Chinese national flag plus play and sing the Chinese national anthem on certain special occasions.

The communique comes as pro-democracy groups continue to push back against legislation criminalizing disrespecting the Chinese national anthem and banning anti-government dissent in the semi-autonomous former British colony, which for the last year has been convulsed by mass demonstrations against political encroachment from the mainland.

The pro-Beijing Hong Kong government's Education Bureau issued a memo on Thursday noting that all primary and secondary schools must adhere to the National Anthem Ordinance which came into effect on June 12.

"The spirit of the National Anthem Ordinance is to respect the national anthem, while there should not be any public and intentional acts to insult the national anthem or misuse the national anthem," an Education Bureau spokesperson said, referring to the legislation that prompted a resurgence in protests among anti-government Hong Kongers.

"All primary and secondary schools should provide opportunities for students to learn to sing the national anthem, understand its history and spirit as well as observe the etiquette for playing and singing the national anthem," the spokesperson said.

"Schools should educate students about the national flag, the national anthem and the national emblem of their own country," the statement added. "This is part of moral, civic and national education, and helps enhance students' sense of national identity."

The memo said schools must display the national and regional flags as well as play and sing the national anthem for celebrations marking New Year's Day, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day on July 1, and the National Day on October 1.

The Education Board also "strongly advises" schools to fly the flags and play the anthem on important occasions including the first day of the new school year, open days and graduation ceremonies. The statement added that schools are encouraged to fly the flags and play the anthems "regularly" throughout the rest of the year.

Beijing critics have warned that the national anthem and national security bills will undermine the autonomy of Hong Kong, which under the "One country, two systems" agreement enjoys more political freedom than mainland Chinese provinces.

The local Legislative Council approved the national anthem legislation earlier this month, despite the best efforts of pro-democracy lawmakers to stop the process. The LegCo meetings descended into scuffles several times during debates over the legislation.

The final debate was disrupted by pro-democracy protests several times, and pro-democracy lawmakers boycotted the final vote.

The national security bill, meanwhile, was approved by Chinese legislators at last month's National People's Congress in Beijing, bypassing the fractious LegCo entirely.

The CCP wished to avoid a repeat of the 2003 effort to pass national security legislation via the LegCo, which ultimately failed in the face of mass protests. Its failure was one of the factors prompting then-Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to resign in 2005.

The bill will criminalize secession, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference in the city. The Hong Kong government has been required to pass national security legislation of this kind under Article 23 of Hong Kong's Basic Law—its de facto constitution.

Opponents say it marks the end of the political freedoms that have made Hong Kong a dynamic international city with a robust civil society.

All symbols of the CCP and central government, including the national anthem, have become targets for pro-democracy demonstrators over the past year. Mass protests began in June against a proposed extradition law that would have allowed fugitives to be extradited to the mainland for trial, something critics said could be used to silence dissenters who have fled to and settled in Hong Kong.

Throughout the past year, the Chinese national anthem has been booed by pro-democracy activists, for example at sporting events, much to the annoyance of Beijing and its allies in Hong Kong. Pro-democracy activists have also taken to composing and singing an independent Hong Kong anthem—"Glory to Hong Kong"—at demonstrations around the territory.