Central authorities hear opinions on improving related systems to ensure "patriots governing Hong Kong"

Xia Baolong, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, attends a symposium to solicit opinions from representatives from all walks of life in Hong Kong on improving the special administrative region's electoral system and upholding "patriots governing Hong Kong" in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, from Feb. 28 to March 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

SHENZHEN, March 1  -- Related departments of China's central authorities held a symposium from Sunday to Monday in the city of Shenzhen to hear opinions on improving systems related to "patriots governing Hong Kong."

Xia Baolong, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, attended the symposium, which heard opinions of representatives from various sectors of Hong Kong society.

Representatives from sectors including industry and trade, finance, professional services and labor, as well as from the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), spoke at the symposium.

Attendees to the symposium said the effective implementation of "patriots governing Hong Kong" is a prerequisite for the full and faithful implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle.

One of the root causes of the chaos afflicting the social and political arenas of Hong Kong is the fact that the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong" has yet to be fully implemented, the attendees said.

Prompt measures must be taken to improve the electoral and other systems of Hong Kong in accordance with the law, while respecting the leading role of the central authorities on the electoral system, they said.

Comprehensive measures must also be taken in terms of stepping up the appraisal and selection of governing personnel, strengthening citizenship education and improving the climate of public opinion, among other steps, they said.

The attendees offered specific suggestions for improving electoral and other systems of the Hong Kong SAR.

Reiterating the central authorities' unswerving determination in implementing the "one country, two systems" principle, Xia said the comprehensive implementation of "patriots governing Hong Kong" is the key to achieving the steady and sustained development of "one country, two systems" practice.

Related systems must be improved to ensure that the bodies of power in Hong Kong are run by genuine patriots, Xia said.

The central authorities will continue to listen to opinions and suggestions from people from all walks of life in Hong Kong on further improving related systems, he said.