Iron Rule
Hong Kong’s leader urges civil servants to vote as a demonstration of loyalty, with state media demanding “unwavering support” for the electoral system.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu (李家超) sent a letter to all civil servants on October 28 urging them to vote in the December 7 Legislative Council election, calling it “a concrete way to demonstrate their oath to uphold the Basic Law.” The pro-government Ta Kung Pao (大公報), controlled by the Liaison Office, responded with an editorial stating civil servant votes should be “iron votes” (鐵票) — unwavering support for the new electoral system. The case illustrated how civil servants face mounting pressure, including in state-backed media, to demonstrate political loyalty through voting.

Lingua Sinica is an interactive online resource under the China Media Project (CMP) that explores the capacity and sustainability of Chinese-language media environments globally in their full domestic context and traces the lines of impact and engagement by PRC media and institutions.