No need to merge Hong Kong’s RTHK with government press department: minister
Commerce chief Algernon Yau rejects suggestion, says two bodies ‘have different requirements in the nature of work, skills and experience’

Hong Kong’s commerce minister has rejected a lawmaker’s suggestion to merge public broadcaster RTHK with the government’s press department, saying there were no overlaps in job responsibilities.
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah was responding to lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu’s question on the possibility of merging RTHK with the Information Services Department to cut down on government spending.
The government is set to record a HK$87.2 billion (US$11.2 billion) deficit for the past financial year, and the finance chief has vowed to cut government spending by 7 per cent over the coming three years.
“On the contrary, the merger may confuse the public about RTHK’s role as a public broadcaster and the Information Services Department’s role in promoting government public relations, which could have a counterproductive effect on the government’s overall public relations efforts.”