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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session after meeting Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the District Councils today (December 6):
Reporter: Mrs Lam, why and how is it goes without saying that a Chief Executive candidate must love country and love Hong Kong? Isn't that something legal, that should be black and white, and not something that goes without saying?
Chief Secretary for Administration: Well, I think the Chief Executive must be a person who loves the country and who loves Hong Kong has been made very clear in various provisions in the Basic Law. We all understand that the Chief Executive has to be appointed by the Central People's Government, and under the Basic Law the Chief Executive has to be responsible not only to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, but also to the Central People's Government, and he has also not only to implement faithfully provisions in the Basic Law, but also to act in accordance to directives issued by the Central People's Government from time to time. So the spirit underlying all these provisions is very, very clear: that this person can only effectively and faithfully implement the Basic Law, which of course underlines the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, and will ensure the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, and this person has to be a person of that particular character that I have just mentioned.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, December 6, 2013
Issued at HKT 12:47
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