China's top legislature adopted on Thursday a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region－another major step to improve the region's legal and political systems.

There was prolonged applause in the Great Hall of the People as the decision was approved by an overwhelming majority of national legislators at the closing meeting of the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress in Beijing.

Premier Li Keqiang said at a news conference on Thursday after the closing meeting that the adoption of the decision had the clear purpose of improving the "one country, two systems" institutional arrangement.

"Adhering to the principle of 'patriots administering Hong Kong' is to ensure the steady implementation of 'one country, two systems'," Li said.

Hong Kong's electoral system includes the method of the selection of the chief executive and the formation of the Legislative Council. While deliberating on the draft decision, legislators said that the current system has loopholes and should be improved to ensure that the SAR is administrated by patriots.

The NPC made the decision to improve the electoral system and develop a democratic system suited to Hong Kong's realities in accordance with the Constitution, the HKSAR Basic Law and the National Security Law for Hong Kong, which was adopted in June 2020, according to the decision.

The decision grants Hong Kong's Election Committee, which is broadly representative and mainly responsible for electing the chief executive, more power in nominating candidates for chief executive and the Legislative Council and increases its composition from 1,200 to 1,500 members from five sectors.

It says that the Legislative Council will be composed of 90 members, compared with 70 currently. In addition, a candidate qualification review committee will be established that will be responsible for reviewing and confirming the qualifications of candidates for Election Committee members, the chief executive and Legislative Council members.

The decision also authorizes the NPC Standing Committee to amend Annex I and Annex II to the Basic Law.

After the decision was adopted, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council said in a statement that it provides a more solid institutional guarantee for the full implementation of "patriots administering Hong Kong", which serves as the principle and necessary prerequisite of ensuring the steady development of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong's democracy, good governance, economic growth and people's livelihoods.

Serious situations

The statement said that over the past 24 years since its return to the motherland, the practice of "one country, two systems" has achieved universally recognized success in Hong Kong. However, recent years have seen a number of serious situations emerging that undermine constitutional order and rule of law in Hong Kong and jeopardize the sovereignty, security and development interests of the country.

Anti-China forces have entered Hong Kong's governance structure and brazenly cultivated political agents to interfere deeply in political affairs such as elections, it said, adding that such actions must be ended.

Therefore, the NPC's decision meets the most urgent need to eliminate political chaos in Hong Kong, the statement said, adding that both the enactment of the National Security Law for Hong Kong and the improvement of the electoral system aim to safeguard the fundamental interests of the State and Hong Kong.

Zang Tiewei, a spokesman for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, said the committee will initiate as early as possible the procedures for amending Annexes I and II to the Hong Kong Basic Law as required by the NPC's decision.

He said the commission will study and take on board the views and suggestions of various parties and do a good job in related legislative work in order to provide a solid and reliable safeguard of the rule of law to ensure the steady implementation of "one country, two systems".

At the news conference, Premier Li also made it clear that Hong Kong faced multiple challenges last year and the central government hopes that all sectors of Hong Kong society can work together to defeat the pandemic, achieve economic growth, improve people's livelihoods and maintain the city's prosperity and stability. He reiterated that Hong Kong has the central government's full support.