Improving electoral system to rid Hong Kong of "political quagmire": HKSAR gov't official

Aerial photo taken on March 6, 2021 shows citizens displaying China's national flag and the flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in support of implementing the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" at Tamar Park in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

HONG KONG, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Matthew Cheung, chief secretary for administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said on Sunday that the decision by the National People's Congress (NPC) on improving the electoral system of the HKSAR will rid Hong Kong of "political quagmire" and create a favorable social environment for Hong Kong.

In the past week, relevant departments of the central authorities held a number of symposiums in Hong Kong to listen to opinions from a wide range of sectors on improving the electoral system of the HKSAR. Cheung said in his blog that he made it clear at the symposium that the HKSAR government supports the NPC's decision and will fully cooperate with local legislation and implementation.

Cheung believed that the decision can effectively plug the loopholes and gaps in the HKSAR's electoral system, thus solve the dilemma. It not only takes into account the overall interests of Hong Kong, but also conforms to the actual situation of Hong Kong.

Cheung said that the improvement of the electoral system will also create a stable social environment for Hong Kong, which will facilitate good governance and enable the HKSAR government to focus on developing the economy, improving people's livelihood and resolving deep-seated social problems.

Cheung said that the NPC's decision is only a small incision. The provisions of Article 45 of the HKSAR Basic Law concerning the election method for the Chief Executive and Article 68 concerning the formation method for the Legislative Council remain intact.

Furthermore, the decision greatly expands the political participation of Hong Kong residents and takes into account the interests of all sectors and strata in the society. This fully proves that democracy in Hong Kong has not gone backwards, he added.

Paul Chan, financial secretary of the HKSAR government, said in his blog on Sunday that the new stage of the country's development is also a new situation for Hong Kong's development. Hong Kong must seize the opportunity and fully participate in it.

Chan said that the NPC has adopted the Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, anchoring the basic realization of socialist modernization as the long-range objective through the year 2035, when the country's economic strength, scientific and technological strength, and comprehensive national strength will rise substantially.

Hong Kong's social and economic development has always been closely linked to the development and needs of the mainland. The evolution of the overall development of the country catalyzes the new situation of Hong Kong's economy, Chan said.

He stressed that safeguarding national security is a prerequisite for the long-term and stable development of the country and the HKSAR. Hong Kong must fully implement "one country, two systems", safeguard the constitutional order as established by the Constitution and the HKSAR Basic Law, and faithfully implement the "patriots administering Hong Kong" principle to make Hong Kong better integrated into the national development, so that its economy and its people's livelihood can be elevated.