China improving Hong Kong's electoral system conducive to local prosperity -- overseas Chinese

BEIJING, March 31 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature on Tuesday adopted a package of legislative changes to improve Hong Kong's electoral system, a move that has garnered widespread support among overseas Chinese.

Two amended annexes to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), which concern the method for the selection of the HKSAR chief executive and the method for the formation of the HKSAR Legislative Council and its voting procedures, respectively, were unanimously passed at a session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

Such amendments plugged the loopholes and repaired the defects of Hong Kong's electoral system, provided institutional guarantees for the full and accurate implementation of "one country, two systems," and the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," and helped ensure peace and stability of Hong Kong, said Liu Yang, president of the Belarusian Overseas Chinese Association.

Measures adopted by China's top legislature are suitable for the current situation in Hong Kong and protective for the legitimate rights of Hong Kong residents, said Boonyong Yongcharoenrat, vice president of the Thai Chinese Chamber of Commerce, adding that the legislative changes are of great importance to Hong Kong's lasting prosperity and stability, and to China's national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Yao Bin, president of the Lao Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, said the new amendments to the HKSAR Basic Law are in line with the interests of the vast majority of Hong Kong people, meet the expectations of Hong Kong's business community, and will further promote the development of the region.

Improving Hong Kong's electoral system from the national level helps ensure the practice of "one country, two systems" in the right direction, and is also a milestone event in the practice of "one country, two systems," said Wang Jiaqing, head of the Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China in France.

Zhu Hai'an, head of the Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China in Belgium, said that improving the electoral system will help implement the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," which is not only conducive to Hong Kong's stability, but also beneficial to Hong Kong's rapid economic recovery.

This is the will of the people and the irresistable trend of times. It is also another milestone in the implementation of the "one country, two systems" policy in Hong Kong, said Zhu.

"Patriots administering Hong Kong" is a basic political principle that is unarguably justified, said Han Jun, president of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Africa, noting that the overseas Chinese fully support the amendments.