Hong Kong’s politically appointed officials swore an oath of allegiance on Wednesday afternoon under a sweeping new government arrangement for public servants to express patriotism.

All 12 undersecretaries and 14 political assistants swore in the presence of Chief Executive Carrie Lam to uphold the city’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, and to declare allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The oath of allegiance came about after Beijing enacted a national security law for Hong Kong. The city’s authorities are conducting a mass exercise requiring all civil servants to either take the oath or sign a declaration form professing loyalty to the government.

Undersecretaries and political assistants are politically appointed officials chosen by the chief executive and ministers. Undersecretaries deputise for the relevant ministers during their temporary absence. It was “incumbent” upon them to uphold the Basic Law and bear allegiance to the HKSAR, a government spokesperson said.

The oath-taking was of great significance, the spokesperson continued. “They made a solemn promise on their responsibilities, genuinely showing to the community their loyalty and commitment to the Basic Law and the HKSAR and thereby boosting the confidence of the public in the politically appointed officials.”

The ceremony for permanent secretaries and departmental heads to take their oaths would be held on Friday, the government said.

Civil servants who joined on or after July 1 were required to sign the declaration form as one of the conditions for appointment, the government said. The Civil Service Bureau would soon announce the arrangements for serving civil servants, to be followed by employees hired under the Non-Civil Service Contract Staff Scheme.

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