Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau

政制及內地事務局
Emblem of the Hong Kong SAR
Agency overview
Formed	2007
Headquarters	12/F and 13/F, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong
Minister responsible	Erick Tsang,Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
Deputy Minister responsible	Andy Chan, Under Secretary of Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
Agency executive	Gracie Foo, Permanent Secretary of Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
Parent agency	Chief Secretary for Administration
Website	cmab.gov.hk

Politics andgovernment ofHong Kong

Laws Basic Law Drafting Committee Consultative Committee Article 23 (national security laws) 2020 law 2024 law Article 45 Article 46 Article 69 One country, two systems Sino–British Joint Declaration Criminal law Capital punishment in Hong Kong Criminal procedure Jury system Law enforcement in Hong Kong Human rights LGBT rights in Hong Kong Internet censorship in Hong Kong

Executive Chief Executive:John Lee Office of the Chief Executive Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR Principal officials Chief Secretary:Eric Chan Financial Secretary:Paul Chan Secretary for Justice:Paul Lam Executive Council Convenor:Regina Ip Government Secretariat andGovernment agencies Civil Service Bureau Joint Secretariat for the Advisory Bodies on Civil Service and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau Registration and Electoral Office Offices in the Mainland and Taiwan Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau Leisure and Cultural Services Department Tourism Commission Education Bureau University Grants Committee Secretariat Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency Environment and Ecology Bureau Environmental Protection Department Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Hong Kong Observatory Government Laboratory Health Bureau Department of Health Home and Youth Affairs Bureau Home Affairs Department Information Services Department Labour and Welfare Bureau Social Welfare Department Security Bureau Hong Kong Police Force Hong Kong Fire Services Department Correctional Services Department Customs and Excise Department Immigration Department Government Flying Service Civil Aid Service Auxiliary Medical Service Transport and Logistics Bureau Transport Department Civil Aviation Department Highways Department Marine Department Housing Bureau Housing Department Commerce and Economic Development Bureau Intellectual Property Department Invest Hong Kong Office of the Communications Authority Post Office Trade and Industry Department Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (Overseas) Radio Television Hong Kong Development Bureau Architectural Services Department Buildings Department Civil Engineering and Development Department Drainage Services Department Electrical and Mechanical Services Department Lands Department Lands Administration Office Land Registry Planning Department Water Supplies Department Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau Census and Statistics Department Companies Registry Government Logistics Department Government Property Agency Inland Revenue Department Official Receiver's Office Rating and Valuation Department Treasury Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau Efficiency Office Office of the Government Chief Information Officer Innovation and Technology Commission Hong Kong Civil Service Administrative Officer Political Appointments System

Legislature Legislative Council President:Andrew Leung List of Members of the Legislative Council Political camps: Pro-Beijing camp Pro-democracy camp Localist camp

Judiciary Court of Final Appeal Chief Justice:Andrew Cheung High Court Chief Judge:Jeremy Poon Court of Appeal Court of First Instance District Court Chief District Judge: Justin Ko Magistrates' Court Chief Magistrate: So Wai-tak Special courts and tribunals: Coroner’s Court Labour Tribunal Lands Tribunal Market Misconduct Tribunal Obscene Articles Tribunal Small Claims Tribunal

Districts District Officers District Councils Central and Western Eastern Islands Kowloon City Kwai Tsing Kwun Tong North Sai Kung Sha Tin Sham Shui Po Southern Tai Po Tsuen Wan Tuen Mun Wan Chai Wong Tai Sin Yau Tsim Mong Yuen Long Area committees

Elections Democracy Electoral Affairs Commission Registration and Electoral Office Chief Executive Elections Election Committee Legislative elections Geographical Constituencies Functional Constituencies Election Committee Constituency District council elections List of constituencies of Hong Kong Political parties Universal suffrage

Foreign relations Documents Hong Kong identity card HKSAR Passport Consular missions in Hong Kong Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Hong Kong–United Kingdom relations Hong Kong–United States relations Hong Kong–Philippines relations Hong Kong–Singapore relations Hong Kong–mainland China relations Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Hong Kong and Macau Work Office Hong Kong Liaison Office Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement Hong Kong–Taiwan relations Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office Hong Kong–Taiwan Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council

Related topics Culture Economy Education Geography History Hong Kong portal

v t e

TheConstitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau is a ministerial-levelpolicy bureaux of theGovernment of Hong Kong responsible for the implementation of theBasic Law, includingelectoral matters and promotion of equal opportunities and privacy protection.^[1] The bureau also functions as the intermediary between the HKSAR Government and theCentral People's Government and other Mainland authorities under the principles of "One Country, Two Systems",^[2] including the coordination of liaison between the HKSAR Government and Central authorities, promoting regional co-operation initiatives between Hong Kong and the Mainland, and overseeing the operation of offices of the HKSAR Government on the Mainland.^[1]

The bureau is headed by theSecretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, currentlyErick Tsang.

The former Constitutional Affairs Branch was formed by a reorganisation of theGovernment Secretariat in 1989. Upon thehandover on 1 July 1997, the Branch was renamed the Constitutional Affairs Bureau. UnderDonald Tsang's re-organisation of the Government Secretariat in 2007, the Bureau was renamed the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau to reflect the Bureau's portfolio for coordination of the HKSAR’s relationship with the Mainland. In the re-organisation, the Bureau was also assigned portfolios relating to human rights and access to information as guaranteed in the Basic Law.^[3]

The Bureau has been responsible for Hong Kong'selectoral reforms. Since the1994 electoral reform, the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs has represented the Government in moving government bills for amending electoral laws in theLegislative Council. Pursuant to the lastelectoral reform sparked by amendment of Annexes I and II of theBasic Law by theStanding Committee of the National People's Congress on 31 March 2021, the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau introduced the Improving Electoral System (Consolidated Amendments) Bill 2021 to the Legislative Council to amend local legislations accordingly.^[4] The Bureau released theGreen Paper on Constitutional Development in July 2007 for public consultation on the options, roadmap and timetable for implementing universal suffrage forChief Executive elections andLegislative Council elections.^[5]

The Bureau has also set up offices in the Mainland andTaiwan, including theBeijing Office of the HKSAR Government,Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices on the Mainland and theHong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office inTaipei.^[6]

In October 2020,Apple Daily reported that the agency had ordered government departments to report any public sightings of theRepublic of China flag, and to remove the flags when the public or media are not around.^[7]

In April 2022, the department revealed it had spent more than HK$16,000,000 on publicity to promote the2021 Hong Kong electoral changes.^[8]

In May 2023,Hong Kong Free Press released an article, which discovered that the CMAB had funded the Equal Opportunities (Sexual Orientation) Funding Scheme since 2003, with some of the money going to groups that promoted changes to sexual orientation.^[9]

In May 2023, the CMAB submitted proposals to forbid insulting the Hong Kong flag, both in real life and on the internet.^[10]

The following are agencies which are related to this bureau.^[11]

• Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing
• Registration and Electoral Office
• Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Guangdong,Shanghai andChengdu)
• Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority
• Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data
• Equal Opportunities Commission
• Hong Kong–Taiwan Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council
• Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee

This section is an excerpt fromRegistration and Electoral Office.[edit]

Politics andgovernment ofHong Kong

Laws Basic Law Drafting Committee Consultative Committee Article 23 (national security laws) 2020 law 2024 law Article 45 Article 46 Article 69 One country, two systems Sino–British Joint Declaration Criminal law Capital punishment in Hong Kong Criminal procedure Jury system Law enforcement in Hong Kong Human rights LGBT rights in Hong Kong Internet censorship in Hong Kong

Executive Chief Executive:John Lee Office of the Chief Executive Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR Principal officials Chief Secretary:Eric Chan Financial Secretary:Paul Chan Secretary for Justice:Paul Lam Executive Council Convenor:Regina Ip Government Secretariat andGovernment agencies Civil Service Bureau Joint Secretariat for the Advisory Bodies on Civil Service and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau Registration and Electoral Office Offices in the Mainland and Taiwan Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau Leisure and Cultural Services Department Tourism Commission Education Bureau University Grants Committee Secretariat Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency Environment and Ecology Bureau Environmental Protection Department Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Hong Kong Observatory Government Laboratory Health Bureau Department of Health Home and Youth Affairs Bureau Home Affairs Department Information Services Department Labour and Welfare Bureau Social Welfare Department Security Bureau Hong Kong Police Force Hong Kong Fire Services Department Correctional Services Department Customs and Excise Department Immigration Department Government Flying Service Civil Aid Service Auxiliary Medical Service Transport and Logistics Bureau Transport Department Civil Aviation Department Highways Department Marine Department Housing Bureau Housing Department Commerce and Economic Development Bureau Intellectual Property Department Invest Hong Kong Office of the Communications Authority Post Office Trade and Industry Department Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (Overseas) Radio Television Hong Kong Development Bureau Architectural Services Department Buildings Department Civil Engineering and Development Department Drainage Services Department Electrical and Mechanical Services Department Lands Department Lands Administration Office Land Registry Planning Department Water Supplies Department Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau Census and Statistics Department Companies Registry Government Logistics Department Government Property Agency Inland Revenue Department Official Receiver's Office Rating and Valuation Department Treasury Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau Efficiency Office Office of the Government Chief Information Officer Innovation and Technology Commission Hong Kong Civil Service Administrative Officer Political Appointments System

Legislature Legislative Council President:Andrew Leung List of Members of the Legislative Council Political camps: Pro-Beijing camp Pro-democracy camp Localist camp

Judiciary Court of Final Appeal Chief Justice:Andrew Cheung High Court Chief Judge:Jeremy Poon Court of Appeal Court of First Instance District Court Chief District Judge: Justin Ko Magistrates' Court Chief Magistrate: So Wai-tak Special courts and tribunals: Coroner’s Court Labour Tribunal Lands Tribunal Market Misconduct Tribunal Obscene Articles Tribunal Small Claims Tribunal

Districts District Officers District Councils Central and Western Eastern Islands Kowloon City Kwai Tsing Kwun Tong North Sai Kung Sha Tin Sham Shui Po Southern Tai Po Tsuen Wan Tuen Mun Wan Chai Wong Tai Sin Yau Tsim Mong Yuen Long Area committees

Elections Democracy Electoral Affairs Commission Registration and Electoral Office Chief Executive Elections Election Committee Legislative elections Geographical Constituencies Functional Constituencies Election Committee Constituency District council elections List of constituencies of Hong Kong Political parties Universal suffrage

Foreign relations Documents Hong Kong identity card HKSAR Passport Consular missions in Hong Kong Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Hong Kong–United Kingdom relations Hong Kong–United States relations Hong Kong–Philippines relations Hong Kong–Singapore relations Hong Kong–mainland China relations Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Hong Kong and Macau Work Office Hong Kong Liaison Office Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement Hong Kong–Taiwan relations Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office Hong Kong–Taiwan Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council

Related topics Culture Economy Education Geography History Hong Kong portal

v t e

TheRegistration and Electoral Office (REO) (Chinese:選舉事務處)^[12] is adepartment under the jurisdiction of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB) of theHong Kong Government.^[13] It is also an administrative support organisation of theElectoral Affairs Commission (EAC), which assists the implementation of the statutory rights under the Electoral Affairs Commission Ordinance.^[14]

The REO assists members of the public to register as electors, dividing constituencies, and formulating electoral regulations and guidelines forelection activities. The elections ofChief Executive,Election Committee,Legislative Council andDistrict Council are all managed by the office.^[15] However, the REO is a logistics department and has no decision-making power on the electoral policy as the decision-making power is vested in the EAC.

The REO is headed by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), who is assisted by the Principal Electoral Officers (PEO) and the Chief Systems Manager (CSM). The head office is at the Treasury Building inCheung Sha Wan, with several other divisions at theMillennium City inKwun Tong andKowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre inKowloon Bay.^[16]

Eligible residents may submit an application for new voter registration, and registered voters may report on change of registration particulars at any time of the year. However, electors who wish to have their registration processed or their information updated in the same cycle or to be listed in the final registers, they must submit their application forms to the Registration and Electoral Office on or before the statutory deadlines.

Hong Kong has seen a major surge in voter registrations, particularly among young people. Nearly 386,000 people have registered to vote in the past year, a record high since the handover of Hong Kong.^[17] The Registration & Elector Office updates and publishes the Final Registers every year.^[18]

• Mainland Affairs Council
• Elections in Hong Kong
• Electoral Affairs Commission
• Home Affairs Department
• Election commission
• Independent Commission Against Corruption (Hong Kong)
• Clean Elections

• http://www.cmab.gov.hk (Official site)
• Media related toConstitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau at Wikimedia Commons

• Hong Kong government policy bureaux
• Human rights ministries
• Gender equality ministries
• Human rights organisations based in Hong Kong
• Women's rights in Hong Kong

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