Results of first Election Committee elections in HKSAR after improvements to electoral system unveiled

Staff members work at a counting station in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

HONG KONG, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The results of the 2021 Election Committee's subsector ordinary elections in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) were unveiled on Monday morning as 364 of 412 candidates were elected as members in 13 subsectors of the Election Committee.

The Election Committee is endowed with important functions under the improved electoral system, including nominating candidates for the Chief Executive election, electing the Chief Executive designate, nominating candidates for the Legislative Council (LegCo) election, and electing 40 LegCo members.

After the voting hours of the elections ended at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, the HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the elections, the first after improvements to Hong Kong's electoral system, are particularly meaningful.

The elections show that the HKSAR implements the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" in its political system, safeguards national sovereignty, security and development interests, and ensures the successful implementation of "one country, two systems," she said.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam receives an interview after inspecting a polling station at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Hong Kong, south China, Sept. 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

Out of the 1,500 seats of the Election Committee, 325 people were determined to be validly registered as ex-officio members, 156 people were validly nominated to be members of the Election Committee and 603 candidates were uncontested, while 412 candidates competed for 364 seats.

The actual number of members of the Election Committee will be fewer than 1,500 due to the LegCo election yet to be held and the overlapping status of some ex-officio members.

The five-year term of the new Election Committee will start on Oct. 22 of this year and end on Oct. 21, 2026.