Entry, exit issues within autonomy of HKSAR: chief executive

Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that entry and exit issues are matters within HKSAR's autonomy under "one country, two systems".

File photo of Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam. [Photo: IC]

Lam made the remarks ahead of an executive council meeting on Tuesday morning when responding to reporters' questions about the decision of HKSAR government's Immigration Department not to renew Financial Times journalist Victor Mallet's work visa.

Lam said that the Director of Immigration will act in accordance with the law and the policy and the circumstances concerning that particular case.

As a rule, be it local or international, the HKSAR government never discloses the circumstances of each case or the considerations of the decision, adding that decisions made on every entry and exit case comply with the law, she added.

Lam noted freedom of expression and freedom of reporting are core values in Hong Kong and that as chief executive, she and the HKSAR government will safeguard the rights as enshrined in the Basic Law.

She reiterated that the HKSAR government will not tolerate any act advocating "Hong Kong Independent", and endangering national security and territorial integrity.

Chief Secretary of HKSAR government Matthew Cheung said on Monday evening that the Immigration Department follows a clear procedure in handling work visa applications and makes the decision on whether to grant a work visa to an applicant in accordance with Hong Kong's laws, government policies and each case's conditions. 

It is in line with international practices that the explanations for visa-related decisions are not made public, he added.

Cheung emphasized that the 80 foreign media organizations in HKSAR fully enjoy the same press and speech freedom as the local media.