John Lee congratulates elected members of 7th District Council election

John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), on Monday extended congratulations to all elected members of the seventh District Council Ordinary Election, urging them to deliver due diligence and meet public expectations to provide high-quality services to citizens.

The District Council Election was the first large-scale territory-wide election held after improving the district governance system and reforming the District Councils (DCs), Lee said, adding that it enables DCs to return to their positioning as district advisory and service organisations in accordance with the Basic Law and fully implements the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong."

Lee said this was a high-quality election that met the objectives of being conducted in a fair, just, clean, safe and orderly manner overall, fully demonstrating an election culture of excellence and the superiority of the reformed DCs system.

Noting that over 1.19 million registered electors cast their votes in the election, he said it showed that voters were eager to choose an excellent DC member who would be devoted to serving the community and representing their views for building a better community together.

The atmosphere of the election was lively, with competition in all constituencies, Lee said, noting that candidates were required to make every effort to canvass for votes, competing against one another over their vision, achievements and performance, and pragmatically solving problems for members of the public.

"The newly elected DC members come from different backgrounds, sectors, strata and professions, which will bring more comprehensive and diverse perspectives to district work and better meet the interests of citizens," said Lee.

Expressing his hope that the new term DCs, after assuming office on January 1, 2024, will focus on district affairs and grasp the sentiments of the community, he said this will enable the HKSAR government to better facilitate the planning and promotion of district services that meet the needs of citizens and improve governance at the district level. He also called for the building of a better community and maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

(Cover: HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee at a press conference in south China's Hong Kong, November 21, 2023. /CFP)