The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Thursday voiced strong indignation and condemnation over the knife attack on a Hong Kong lawmaker, calling for strong punishment against violence in accordance with the law.

Xu Luying, the spokesperson from the office, made the remarks after Junius Ho, a member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), was stabbed in the chest on Wednesday while he was campaigning for re-election in the district council in Tuen Mun.

Two of Ho's colleagues also sustained injuries, said Xu.

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Xu expressed deep sympathy for Ho and his colleagues, saying that the shocking attack was not only a serious criminal act but also pure election violence.

Extreme violence is absolutely intolerable in any society, said Xu. She also voiced the hope that people of all walks of life in Hong Kong gather stronger positive energy in countering violence, safeguarding the rule of law, and ensuring stability.

As President Xi Jinping and Vice Premier Han Zheng stressed during their respective meetings with HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam, it is the most important task for Hong Kong at present to bring violence and chaos to an end and restore order, which is also a common responsibility of Hong Kong's administrative, legislative and judicial organs, Xu said.

The man who stabbed has been charged with attempted murder. At the request of the prosecutors, the case has been adjourned until February 3, 2020, for investigations. During the period, the suspect cannot seek bail.

The principal official of the Liaison Office of the Chinese Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Friday also severely condemned the knife attack against a candidate of the upcoming district council elections, stressing that "the attempt to create a black terror" will not succeed.

The official extended deep condolences for Ho and his colleagues, and expressed extreme indignation and severe condemnation over the perpetrator's atrocity of attempting to murder the lawmaker in broad daylight.

The perpetrator tried to stab Ho in the heart with a knife at close range, a manifest intention to kill him, the official said.

Such extremely violent crime directly targeting an election candidate has completely exceeded the bottom line of law and humanity, and will seriously damage the fairness and safety of the district council elections, the official said.

"We firmly support the relevant authorities of the HKSAR to thoroughly investigate the truth and severely punish the perpetrator."

The official stressed that as the district council elections are approaching, the extremists intend to create a black terror and a chilling effect by smashing and setting fire to the offices of district council members who love the country and love Hong Kong as well as some shops, threatening candidates and volunteers, destroying election posters, and even assassinating a patriotic candidate, so as to intimidate patriotic Hong Kong people not to run in the election, to support the election, or to vote.

Hong Kong residents should fully recognize the evil intentions of the rioters in sabotaging the district council elections and disrupting Hong Kong, stand up bravely and sternly condemn the black terror and election violence, work together to speak out against violence, maintain a fair, just and safe election order, and uphold the rule of law and the "One Country, Two Systems" principle in Hong Kong, the official added.

(With input from Xinhua)