The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's State Council on Thursday praised the passage of the District Councils (Amendment) Bill 2023 by the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The bill's passage marks the successful completion of legislative work to reform the HKSAR's district council system, said a spokesperson of the office.

The move accurately implements relevant provisions in the Basic Law of the HKSAR and the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR, as well as the relevant interpretations of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the spokesperson said.

Through measures such as optimizing the nomination mechanism and improving the eligibility review system, the move will resolutely bar anti-China and destabilizing forces from entering into district councils, effectively safeguard constitutional order in the HKSAR, and ensure the full and faithful implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle, the spokesperson said.

Under the improved system, district councils will be better able to fulfill their roles in reflecting public opinion, serving the people and addressing people's concerns, thus better assisting the HKSAR government in improving district governance and boosting the people's well-being.

The legislative work has also been widely supported by the people of Hong Kong. Over 1.6 million of them signed up to endorse the HKSAR government's recommended plan for legislation, and polls show that over 80 percent of respondents believe the recommended plan will boost district governance. This demonstrates that the reform is in alignment with the common expectations of Hong Kong society, the spokesperson said.

After the reform, there will definitely be plenty more excellent people with steadfast love for both the motherland and Hong Kong, a wider level of representation, strong professional capabilities and a passion for serving the public to participate in the work of the district councils, the spokesperson said.

Liaison office of central govt in HKSAR also welcomes the bill

The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR on Thursday also welcomed passage of the District Councils (Amendment) Bill 2023, noting that the district councils system reform has a solid legal basis and extensive support.

A spokesperson for the office stressed that the reform of the system is a return to the original intention of the Basic Law of the HKSAR and embodies the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," which is of great significance for improving district governance efficiency and the governance system of the HKSAR.

According to Article 97 of the Basic Law of the HKSAR, the district councils are not organs of political power, and their main function is to be consulted by the HKSAR government or to be responsible for providing services. However, during a considerable period, especially during the social unrest in 2019, anti-China disruptors used loopholes in the system to turn the district councils into a platform for obstructing the government's administration, promoting separatism and violence, attempting to subvert the regime and confront the central authorities, which completely deviates from the district council's intended role, said the spokesperson.

To ensure the long-term stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, the public recognizes that only by returning to the original intention of the Basic Law of the HKSAR, reforming and restructuring the district councils, firmly implementing the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," and effectively implementing the executive-led system, can national security and the public interests of Hong Kong residents be effectively safeguarded, the spokesperson added.

The HKSAR Legislative Council (LegCo) unanimously passed the District Councils (Amendment) Bill 2023 on Thursday. A coalition backing the reform previously collected over 1.6 million signatures from Hong Kong residents in support of the overhaul. Over 80 percent of respondents in a poll agreed with the reform proposal and believed that it could enhance district governance capabilities. The HKSAR government also received over 20,000 emails, of which over 90 percent expressed support for the reform, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the facts show the reform proposal is in line with public expectations, expressing belief that the new-term district councils will undoubtedly become a strong supporting force for the government in carrying out community-level governance, assist the government in enhancing district governance efficiency, address urgent and difficult livelihood issues of residents, and vigorously promote the well-being of the people.

"We believe that with joint efforts of the HKSAR government and all sectors of the society, Hong Kong will surely have brighter prospects of advancement from stability to prosperity," the spokesperson noted.