The government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Saturday expressed respect and support for Macao's Court of Final Appeal's ruling of rejecting the appeal filed by some disqualified lawmakers for the upcoming Legislative Assembly election.
The Macao SAR government supports the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election in performing its duties in accordance with the law so as to ensure the Legislative Assembly election runs smoothly, the Macao SAR government said in a statement.
On July 13, the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly refused, in line with requirements under the Legislative Assembly Election Law, five candidate lists involving 20 individuals from taking part in the upcoming election.
In line with the Macao SAR Basic Law, Macao's Legislative Assembly is composed of 33 seats. The SAR is set to hold the Legislative Assembly election on September 12 this year.
The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR expressed its support for the decision in a statement released later on Saturday.
"Patriots governing Macao" is the key of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, the statement read, stressing that those acting against the government will not be selected as city officials.
The office also noted that the decision by the Court of Final Appeal was based upon the Constitution and the Basic Law.
The government headquarters of the Macao Special Administrative Region in Macao, China. /Courtesy of the official website of the Macao SAR government
On the same day, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council also voiced support for the ruling, saying that the court has safeguarded the constitutional order in the SAR as established by the Constitution and the Basic Law.
"Any anti-China disrupter must never be allowed to make his or her way into the SAR's administrative structure and become an administrator by any means," the office said in a statement.
The office expressed confidence in the success of the Legislative Assembly election and the steady and sustained implementation of "One Country, Two Systems" in Macao.
The Chinese Mission to the European Union (EU) also expressed its support for the decision.
"It is supported by people of all sectors in the Macao SAR as it safeguards the constitutional order of the SAR as established by the Constitution and the Basic Law, upholds the seriousness and legal procedures of the election of the seventh Legislative Assembly of the Macao SAR, and demonstrates the impartiality and authority of the judiciary of the SAR," its spokesperson said in a statement released on Sunday.
The spokesperson also urged the EU to stop "pointing fingers" at China's internal matters.
"It needs to be made clear to the EU side that the Chinese people will never accept preaching from those who feel they have the right to lecture others, and that attempts to interfere in the name of 'democracy and freedom' are doomed to fail," the spokesperson said. "We would urge the EU side to respect China's sovereignty and immediately stop in any form meddling in the affairs of the SAR, which are China's internal affairs."