The Civil Service College today organised a lecture for senior officials and civil servants covering the theory and practice of “one country, two systems”.

Delivered by Peking University Law School’s Prof Jiang Shigong, the lecture was the third in an in-depth programme on “one country, two systems” and contemporary China launched by the college and the university’s Institute for Hong Kong & Macau Studies.

Addressing attendees, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said “one country, two systems” is the best institutional arrangement for ensuring long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, as stated in the report of the 20th National Congress.

She stressed that, as the backbone of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, senior civil servants are responsible for implementing government policies and initiatives, in addition to providing various public services.

She added that civil servants must understand accurately, and implement fully, the “one country, two systems” principle, safeguard the Hong Kong SAR’s constitutional basis and order as laid down in the Constitution and the Basic Law, implement the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong”, and safeguard national security, so as to ensure the successful implementation of “one country, two systems”.

Designed to strengthen training of senior officials and directorate civil servants, the programme consists of 12 monthly lectures given by distinguished scholars from the Mainland.

Around 70 participants attended the programme in person, while about 100 politically appointed officials and other directorate officers joined the lecture via video conferencing.