Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said on Friday that the HKSAR government will fully cooperate with the central authorities to improve the SAR's electoral system by enacting local legislation to implement the improvement measures, with a view to faithfully putting the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" into practice.
Lam made the remarks in a statement on Friday in response to the National People's Congress (NPC)' deliberation at the fourth session of the 13th NPC on a draft decision on improving the electoral system in the HKSAR in a bid to implement "patriots administering Hong Kong," saying she and the HKSAR government fully respect that the central government takes the lead to improve Hong Kong's electoral system.
Lam said she and the HKSAR government also support the five principles enunciated by Wang Chen, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, of the NPC draft decision.
"We will fully co-operate with Central Authorities by enacting local legislation to implement the improvement measures, with a view to faithfully putting the principle of 'patriots administering Hong Kong' into practice," she said.
"Patriots administering Hong Kong" is completely in line with the constitutional requirement of the HKSAR, Lam said, adding that the HKSAR Basic Law stated that the HKSAR is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China, the HKSAR shall enjoy a high degree of autonomy and come directly under the Central People's Government, and the chief executive has "dual responsibility" under the HKSAR Basic Law, being responsible to both the HKSAR and the Central People's Government.
"Under this constitutional order and political system, it is a natural requirement that Hong Kong must be governed by patriots. There cannot be any ambiguity that 'patriots administering Hong Kong' is the critical and necessary requirement to the successful and robust implementation of 'one country, two systems'," Lam said.
In addition to the chief executive and officials in the administration, "persons administering Hong Kong" include members of the legislature, judges in the judiciary, members of district organizations which are not organs of political power, i.e. District Councils, as well as civil servants, she said.
Lam said that in recent years, Hong Kong has indeed faced circumstances that are not conducive to the thorough implementation of "one country, two systems". There are groups advocating "Hong Kong independence", organizing resistance against the governance of the central authorities, and even colluding with external elements to stir up disorders in the society.
"If such acts are not suppressed in time, parties which oppose the Central Authorities and cause disturbance to the law and order of Hong Kong may enter the political system of the HKSAR through elections. This will harm Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and place 'one country, two systems' in jeopardy," she said.
Lam said there is a pressing need to complete the necessary legislative work. The HKSAR government will spare no efforts in reflecting the views of different sectors of the Hong Kong community, with a view to assisting the NPC Standing Committee to amend Annex I and II to the HKSAR Basic Law.
The HKSAR government will prepare the necessary legislative amendments to the relevant local legislation in accordance with the revised Annexes to the HKSAR Basic Law for the scrutiny of the SAR Legislative Council, she said.
"In the past two years, Hong Kong has faced unprecedented challenges. The Central Authorities have always spared no efforts in resolving the imminent problems faced by Hong Kong at the national level, and demonstrated their adherence to the principle of 'one country, two systems' and care for the Hong Kong people," Lam said.
From the formulation and implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR, which halted chaos and restored order in Hong Kong, to the improvement of the electoral system of the HKSAR to ensure "patriots administering Hong Kong", the motherland will forever provide staunch support to Hong Kong, Lam said.
"I will lead the governing team of the HKSAR government to fulfil the mission of safeguarding the fundamental interests of the country and the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong," she said.
