HK Press Effectively Monitors Govt: Carrie Lam

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Monday that local journalists should not "undervalue themselves" despite reports and rankings raising concerns about Hong Kong's dwindling press freedom.

Lam said on Monday that the local press are exceptional in their independent and impartial reporting, effectively monitoring the work of her administration.

Speaking at the Newspaper Society's annual awards ceremony, the Hong Kong leader said she reads nine newspapers every day, taking about 45 minutes to do so, and she's motivated by the reports.

Lam stressed that the government attaches great importance to free press and free speech, as they are the core values and advantages of Hong Kong.

In the annual World Press Freedom Index released last week by Reporters Without Borders, the SAR inched up three places in the global ranking on press freedom.

But the report also warned of increasing interference from Beijing and said reporters are finding it more difficult to "cover subjects involving governance in Hong Kong and the mainland".

In a Freedom House report last year, Hong Kong's score on press freedom dipped slightly.