The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, on Tuesday adopted bills that amended the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The amendments to Annex I and Annex II to the Hong Kong SAR Basic Law were adopted by national lawmakers during the two-day 27th session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee, which ended on Tuesday.
President Xi Jinping signed presidential orders to promulgate the amended Annex I and Annex II to the Hong Kong SAR Basic Law
The two annexes deal with the method of selection of the Hong Kong SAR chief executive and the formation and voting procedures of the Legislative Council.
The amendments were passed at the closing meeting of the 27th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC).
President Xi Jinping signed presidential orders to promulgate the amended annexes.
This came after the NPC adopted a decision at its annual session on March 11 to improve Hong Kong's electoral system. The amendments to the two annexes were part of the provisions of the decision.
The reform of the electoral system clarified by the decision also includes greater powers being given to Hong Kong's Election Committee in nominating candidates for chief executive and the Legislative Council, as well as an increase in the number of Election Committee members from 1,200 to 1,500 from five sectors.
Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the meeting, which was attended by 167 members of the NPC Standing Committee.
Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said the HKSAR shall amend relevant local laws in accordance with the amended Basic Law in a timely manner and promptly implement matters related to improving the HKSAR electoral system
Li said the passing of the NPC decision on improving the electoral system of the HKSAR earlier this month and the two amended annexes adopted Tuesday fully demonstrate the resolution and common will of the Chinese people, including Hong Kong compatriots, in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests as well as the constitutional order of the HKSAR.
A democratic electoral system suiting Hong Kong's legal status and reality has taken shape as a result of the amendments, said Li.
Li said the HKSAR shall amend relevant local laws in accordance with the law in a timely manner, promptly implement matters related to improving the HKSAR electoral system, and organize and regulate relevant election activities as per the law.
With the implementation of the improved HKSAR electoral system and the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," the central government's overall jurisdiction over the HKSAR will be effectively implemented, Li noted.
While timely fixing the loopholes in the region's electoral system, the improvements also make it more representative and ensure more balanced public participation, said Zang Tiewei, spokesperson for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPCSC on Tuesday.
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The meeting also passed bills related to personnel appointment and removal. Li also presided over two meetings of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee before the closing meeting.
NPC Standing Committee Vice-Chairman Wang Chen said while explaining the decision during the annual session of the NPC on March 5 that the reform is meant to deal with the loopholes and deficiencies in Hong Kong's current electoral system and to ensure the city is administered by patriots.
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At a news conference on March 12 following the passage of the decision, Zhang Xiaoming, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said the improvements to the electoral system are urgently required because the rioting and turbulence that occurred in Hong Kong in recent years showed that many anti-China disruptive forces have managed to enter the local government structure as a result of electoral deficiencies.
Therefore, he said, improving the electoral system provides an institutional guarantee for implementing the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", which is conducive to the sound and sustained implementation of "one country, two systems" in the Hong Kong SAR.
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With Xinhua inputs