THE successful holding of the 2021 Election Committee’s subsector ordinary elections in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) marked a major step in Hong Kong’s democratic development with its own characteristics, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR said Monday morning.

The Election Committee elections were held Sunday, in which 1,448 new members were elected.

The elections fully implemented the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong” and demonstrated the advantages of Hong Kong’s new electoral system, the office said in a statement while extending congratulations to the successful holding of the elections, which were the first major elections in Hong Kong after it returned to stability from chaos.

The HKSAR Government organized the elections in strict accordance with the law, and the entire election process, including voter registration, candidate nomination, campaigning, vote casting and ballot counting, was conducted in a fair, just and open manner, the office said.

The candidates put forward their election platforms to reflect the demands of their industries, resolve economic and livelihood problems, promote social progress and Hong Kong’s integration into the national development, and had in-depth exchanges and interactions with the general public, the office said, adding that they shouldered the responsibility of speaking for voters and making suggestions for Hong Kong.

The HKSAR Government said Monday the successful holding of the elections symbolized that the HKSAR has reached a new milestone in the implementation of the principle of “patriots governing Hong Kong” in the political system.

As the first ones after improvements to the HKSAR’s electoral system earlier this year, the elections are to ensure that the power of the HKSAR is in the hands of patriots, thereby promoting the realization of good governance in Hong Kong, a government spokesperson said.

“After improving the electoral system, the new Election Committee consists of a number of subsectors and is broadly representative. It plays an important role in the political system,” the spokesperson said.

(Xinhua)