HONG KONG - Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Tuesday iterated that Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), as a public broadcaster and a government department, must uphold the “one country, two systems” principle.

“Either as a public broadcaster or government department, RTHK has to fulfill the very important and fundamental principle of upholding "one country, two systems,” said Lam told reporters ahead of a weekly Executive Council meeting.

Either as a public broadcaster or government department, RTHK has to fulfill the very important and fundamental principle of upholding "one country, two systems.

Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Hong Kong chief executive

Being a public broadcaster, RTHK could not claim exemption from observing the principle of "one country, two systems", said Lam.

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She noted that the Charter of Radio Television Hong Kong is clear in requiring the public broadcaster in its programs to deepen the Hong Kong people's understanding of "one country, two systems". 

She made the remarks in response to a controversial question raised by an RTHK journalist in an interview with a high-ranking official of World Health Organization (WHO) about the possibility of granting Taiwan membership.

Lam endorsed the statement issued on Thursday by Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Yau Tang-wah. RTHK is a government department reporting to the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau.

In the statement, Yau said that the RTHK reporter’s question was inappropriate. "It is common knowledge that the WHO membership is based on sovereign states. RTHK, as a government department and a public service broadcaster, should have a proper understanding of the above without any deviation," Yau’s statement reads.

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The statement further noted that the mission of RTHK as a public service broadcaster was to engender a sense of citizenship and national identity through programs that contribute to the understanding of the community and nation, and promoting understanding of the concept of "one country, two systems".

Yau is scheduled to meet with the Director of Broadcasting Leung Ka-wing on Tuesday for further talks on the issue.