The Legislative Council building of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Hong Kong, south China. /CFP
Members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) should put public health and wellbeing first and put aside their differences as the city battles against a COVID-19 outbreak, former Chief Executive of the HKSAR Tung Chee-hwa said on Tuesday.
Tung, who is now vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference – China's top political advisory body, said he fully supports the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) for the sixth LegCo of the HKSAR to continue to discharge duties, calling the decision "legal and reasonable."
China's top legislature adopted the decision earlier on Tuesday, which says after September 30, 2020, the sixth LegCo will continue performing duties for no less than a year until the term of the seventh LegCo starts.
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The decision came as Hong Kong is endeavoring to contain a fresh COVID-19 outbreak since July. Hong Kong's health authorities reported 33 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, including 15 infections with unknown sources, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the city to 4,181.
HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced in late July to postpone the election of the seventh-term LegCo, which was originally scheduled for September 6, 2020, for one year due to the epidemic.
Tung said that the decision by the NPC Standing Committee resolved the problem of a lacuna in the legislature arising from the postponement of the LegCo election, adding that he believes people in Hong Kong will support this important decision.
He urged Hong Kong lawmakers to perform their duties effectively and support the HKSAR government in reviving the economy and relieving people's hardship.
LegCo President Andrew Leung said on Tuesday that Hong Kong is facing severe economic hardship in the midst of the pandemic. He hoped that when the LegCo resumes work, members would put aside political differences and work together to perform their constitutional duties with the common goal of resolving economic and livelihood issues in the best interest of the community.
Commenting on the postponement of the LegCo election, Kenyan international relations researcher Adhere Cavince noted that over 60 countries and regions have delayed general elections or votes in certain regions due to the pandemic.
There should not be any controversy over the postponement of the LegCo election in Hong Kong, Cavince told CGTN.
Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presides over the closing meeting of the 21st session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, August 11, 2020. /Xinhua
Addressing the closing meeting of the NPC Standing Committee session, Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said the decision has provided a constitutional basis and legal guarantee for upholding the rule of law in Hong Kong and ensuring the normal governance of the HKSAR government and the orderly functioning of Hong Kong society.
Explaining the bill at the legislative session, Xia Baolong, head of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said matters concerning the vacancy of the LegCo can only be resolved by the NPC Standing Committee at the constitutional level, as the HKSAR chief executive only has the power to postpone the election under the applicable law in the HKSAR.
The NPC Standing Committee has the power and duty to properly address constitutional issues arising from the implementation of the HKSAR Basic Law, according to Xia.
China's Foreign Ministry said the NPC Standing Committee's decision provides a solid legal basis for the continued performance of the sixth LegCo of the HKSAR and helps maintain the constitutional and legal order of the HKSAR.
Speaking at Wednesday's regular press conference, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian stressed that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and the LegCo election of the HKSAR is China's local election.
"Hong Kong affairs are China's internal affairs, and they brook no interference from any foreign government, organization or individual."