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Following is the transcript of a media session given by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joseph W P Wong, today (October 14) on the political neutrality of the civil service:

Reporter: Mr Wong, can you talk about the concerns expressed by the civil service unions...?

Secretary: First of all, I wouldn't want to comment on the exchange of views between the central government officials and the civil service unions because I was not present at the meeting. But I am very pleased to confirm that political neutrality of the civil service, of course is a very important element of our civil service. We have explained this very clearly last year when we introduced the accountability system.

Political neutrality of the civil service has a very important built-in principle, that is, the civil service must be loyal to the government of the day. Whilst in the policy making process, civil servants should offer their impartial advice, free from any political party considerations as far as possible, to assist the government to reach a balanced decision. Once a decision is taken by the government, it is incumbent on the civil service and all civil servants to implement such decision faithfully and fully. And of course these decisions will include decisions which relate to, for example, the implementation of the Basic Law. And this principle of political neutrality is indeed well practised in a lot of democratic countries.

(Please also refer to the Chinese transcript)

End/Tuesday, October 14, 2003

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