Letters | As geopolitical tensions rise, Hong Kong needs clear, confident messaging

The government’s unprecedented decision to conduct open recruitment for the post of director of information services is a stark reminder of the persistent difficulty it has faced in strengthening its public relations and publicity machinery.

Over the past 28 years, no fewer than 11 officers – none from the information officer grade – have been appointed to head the Information Services Department. This makes the department one of those with the highest turnover at the directorate level, suggesting a chronic shortage of suitably qualified candidates willing or able to take on the role.

The problem is not confined to the Information Services Department. Decades ago, then chief executive Tung Chee-hwa appointed a senior official as information coordinator to serve as the government’s chief “spin doctor”. Weekly media stand-ups to explain and defend controversial policies proved too demanding for career bureaucrats. To my knowledge, the post was subsequently downgraded and left vacant for extended periods.

Today, the Information Services Department operates in an even more challenging environment as Hong Kong’s constitutional and institutional framework becomes more closely aligned with national requirements. National security legislation enacted at both the national and local levels has been labelled “draconian” by sections of the Western media, despite the fact that the offences, penalties, enforcement powers and procedures are comparable to – and in some cases less severe than – those found in many Western jurisdictions.