Improving HK's electoral system helps guarantee 'patriots' principle, authorities say

The decision to improve Hong Kong's electoral system adopted by China's top legislature provides a more solid institutional guarantee for the full implementation of the "patriots governing Hong Kong" principle, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council said in a statement on Thursday.

The office also said it firmly supports and will implement the decision which was passed by the 13th National People's Congress at its fourth session, began on March 5 and ends on Thursday.

The statement said it is imperative to improve Hong Kong's electoral system. Over the past 24 years since its return, the practice of "one country, two systems" has achieved universally recognized success.

However, recent years have seen a number of serious situations emerging that undermine the constitutional order and rule of law of the SAR as well as jeopardize the sovereignty, security and development interests of the country.

Anti-China forces have entered Hong Kong's governance structure and have brazenly cultivated political agents to deeply interfere in political affairs such as elections, it said, adding that such actions must be eradicated.

Therefore, the NPC's decision that authorizes the NPC Standing Committee to amend Annexes I and II to the Basic Law abides by the Constitution and also meets the most urgent need to eliminate political chaos in Hong Kong, it said.

It noted that the key to improving the electoral system is to put "patriots governing Hong Kong" into full practice because it serves as the principle and necessary prerequisites to ensure steady development of the "one country, two systems" principle, Hong Kong's democracy, good governance, economic growth and people's livelihoods.

It also stressed that both the enactment of the national security law for Hong Kong and the improvement of the electoral system aim to safeguard the fundamental interests of the state and the strategic administrative region.

"The central government's determination to implement 'one country, two systems' and act in strict accordance with the Constitution and Hong Kong's Basic Law is unwavering. We fully believe improving Hong Kong's electoral system will create a better future for Hong Kong," it said.