Nearly 200 civil servants did not sign the declaration of allegiance before the deadline last month, said Patrick Nip, Secretary for the Civil Service.

The administration does not have the actual number and their distribution at the moment, said Nip, in a press briefing on Monday. “We have lost confidence [in them]. We will follow the existing mechanism and ask them to leave the civil service,” he added.

In an exclusive interview with HK01, Nip expressed support for Beijing’s demand that Hong Kong should be ruled only by patriots. Civil servants are an important part of the Hong Kong SAR administration and they should acknowledge the new requirement.

“To love the country is to love the People’s Republic of China and the ruling party of the People’s Republic of China is the Chinese Communist Party,” the minister doubled down.

While the government will not be reviewing each employee individually, it will look at whether public servants are abiding by the declaration. If they violate the law, it will be handled according to the law. If they violate the rules, it will be handled according to the existing rules, said Nip, stressing that employees will have a chance to defend themselves.

It is not possible to make a detailed list of acts that constitute a violation of the oath, but most civil servants have signed the statement, they understand and accept the relevant responsibility, said Nip.

“If they couldn’t accept [the conditions], they chose to leave the government. That is their own decision. And it is not a bad thing for the administration,” he added.

As for whether attending the annual June 4th vigil, which commemorates the Tiananmen massacre in 1989, would be considered a breach of the oath, it depends on if the rally is legal and peaceful, said Nip. Civil servants should know their responsibility as patriots administering Hong Kong and should not participate in matters that are in conflict with the principle, he added.

The civil service chief also defended high-level officials, who were recently under attack from pro-Beijing newspapers. The discussion should be based on facts, he said.

According to Nip, the government is also reviewing suggestions from Hong Kong delegates to the National People’s Congress that senior civil servants should not be allowed to hold foreign passports or right of abode in foreign countries.

The law currently only requires civil servants to be permanent residents of Hong Kong and has no requirements or restrictions on their nationality. If the suggestion is feasible and may contribute to the stability of “one country, two systems,” then it can be discussed and considered, he added.

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