Hong Kong civil servant national security commitment to be monitored through ‘daily work’

Hong Kong’s civil service chief said the government will monitor the commitment of its 173,000 workers by observing how they uphold national security as they go about “daily work”. Government workers must safeguard national security as the first of 12 core values under a newly revised code, which also states that civil servants are forbidden from criticising government policies while acting in an official capacity. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan dismissed concerns that the new rule would hinder the raising of constructive views. She said “basic work ethics” dictate that workers should wholeheartedly support management decisions. Yeung also said the government would not police workers’ social media accounts but would investigate any complaints.