Xia: Revamped electoral system to open new page of HK democracy

In a statement, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor thanked Xia for expounding on the four characteristics of the LegCo election following the improvement of the electoral system of Hong Kong.

Over the past few years, the chaos in the HKSAR legislature brought about by the inability to ensure 'patriots administering Hong Kong' was clearly seen in Hong Kong society, Lam said.

"The legislature was paralysed, the governance of the HKSAR government was disrupted, economic developments were affected and even national security was endangered, posing risks to social stability," she said.

The improvement to the electoral system aims to implement the fundamental principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", ensuring that members of the LegCo are patriotic and act in the interests of the country's development and the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, she said.

"On the basis of patriotism, candidates of the seventh-term Legislative Council come from across the political spectrum and are diverse and broadly representative," she said.

The HKSAR government hopes to work together with members of the new term of the Legislative Council to usher in a new era of good governance in Hong Kong, Lam added.

In the Dec 19 election, 153 people will compete for 90 seats, and 4.4 million voters are expected to cast their votes in over 600 polling stations.

In July, Xia also delivered a speech during a public activity in Beijing, in which he underlined the significance of the National Security Law for Hong Kong, and elaborated on the desired qualities of future administrators of the city.