HONG KONG, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Wednesday said the political rule that Hong Kong must be governed by patriots shall be firmly guarded.

The office expressed firm support for a decision made by China's top legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), on the qualification of members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the HKSAR.

The liaison office also expressed firm support for the HKSAR government's announcement to disqualify four members of the sixth LegCo based on the NPC Standing Committee's decision.

The office said in a statement that as the permanent body of China's highest organ of state power, the NPC Standing Committee has the power to decide on constitutional issues related to the implementation of the HKSAR Basic Law and the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR.

The legal effect and authority of relevant decisions brook no challenge, it said.

The NPC Standing Committee's decision has established an institutional rule on the disqualification of HKSAR LegCo members and it clearly applies to relevant members of the sixth LegCo, according to the statement.

It is in line with Article 104 of the HKSAR Basic Law, relevant interpretations of the NPC Standing Committee and the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, the statement said, adding that it is also an improvement to the SAR system under the "one country, two systems."

The decision has drawn the bottom-line and set a rule for those holding public offices in the HKSAR governance system concerning their constitutional obligation of allegiance to the country and the HKSAR.

It also serves as legal support for the SAR carrying out local legislation for Article 104 of the HKSAR Basic Law in accordance with the NPC Standing Committee's relevant interpretations and decisions, the statement said.

The statement noted that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and that to be a patriot loving both the country and Hong Kong is a political ethic that must be firmly upheld by everyone in public office.

Such a requirement is also defined in China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR.

The statement stressed that only by resolutely ensuring the central government's overall jurisdiction over the SAR and unswervingly upholding the rule of patriots governing Hong Kong, can "one country, two systems" keep progressing along the right path and the lasting prosperity and stability in Hong Kong be fundamentally secured.