PRESS RELEASES | OCT 12, 2026
Professor Michael Ng received the 10th Outstanding Scientific Research Output Award (Humanities and Social Sciences) from the Ministry of Education of China
The HKU Faculty of Law is thrilled to announce that Professor Michael Ng, Associate Dean (Research and Institutional Advancement), has been awarded the prestigious 10th Outstanding Scientific Research Output Award (Humanities and Social Sciences) from the Ministry of Education of China.
Professor Ng received the Popular Book Award for his highly acclaimed book, 《噤若寒蟬：港英時代對媒體和言論的政治審查（1842 – 1997）》(Joint Publishing (HK, 2024), which is the Chinese edition of his award-winning research monograph: Political Censorship in British Hong Kong: Freedom of Expression and the Law (1842–1997). In a remarkable testament to the book’s quality and impact, it was one of only 19 books selected for this honour out of all the books published across China during the award’s rigorous three-year review cycle. Notably, it is the only awarded book authored by a scholar from Hong Kong.
Drawing on declassified records archived in Hong Kong and London, his award-winning publication uncovers the colonial government’s heavy-handed measures to suppress free speech. It challenges long-held assumptions by proposing that Hong Kong’s freedom of speech did not stem inherently from the English rule of law tradition, but were rather the products of Britain’s China policy under specific historical circumstances.
Reflecting on this significant achievement, Professor Ng shared: “I am truly delighted that this legal history research, grounded in empirical evidence, has been embraced by the public and honoured with this award. Law and history share a core commitment to factual evidence; uncovering the past is essential for us to understand today and guide our future.”
The Faculty extends its warmest congratulations to Professor Ng on this outstanding milestone. This recognition not only celebrates his dedication to rigorous empirical research but also highlights his vital contribution to advancing public knowledge and legal history.
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