Photo taken on Aug 20, 2019 shows the Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong, China.Photo:Xinhua

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government will require new civil servants employed from July 1 to pledge to uphold the Basic Law and swear allegiance to the HKSAR, an official said on Friday.

Patrick Nip, secretary for the civil service of the HKSAR government, said the government plans to issue notice to different departments in October to arrange those new civil servants to take an oath or make a written declaration.

Allegiance is a consistent responsibility and requirement of civil servants, which is in line with the Basic Law, the national security law and the Civil Service Code, Nip said.

The Basic Law protects the freedom of speech of every Hong Kong resident, but civil servants should keep in mind their special status and avoid misleading words and deeds, he said.

Nip said that civil servants will be dismissed if they violate their oaths or breach the national security law.