Brighter future for Hong Kong through first elections after system improvements

For China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the 2021 Election Committee's subsector ordinary elections on Sept. 20 marked the first elections after improvements to its electoral system earlier this year. The elections will open a new chapter for Hong Kong's good governance.

As a crucial step to implement relevant provisions of the National People's Congress and its Standing Committee, the elections made it clear that "patriots administering Hong Kong" must be upheld to ensure the full and precise implementation of "one country, two systems."

Under the improved electoral system, the Election Committee membership has expanded from 1,200 to 1,500, while the numbers of sectors and subsectors have increased from four to five and from 38 to 40, respectively. New subsectors such as representatives of small- and medium-sized enterprises, grassroots associations, associations of Chinese fellow townsmen, associations of Hong Kong residents on the mainland, and Hong Kong members of related national organizations have been added.

Such improvements give the committee broader representation and more balanced participation, taking into account the interests of all walks of life and better representing China's national interest and the HKSAR's overall interest.

The fundamental purpose of improving the electoral system, based on the basic principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," is to fully and faithfully implement the policy of "one country, two systems," safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests, and maintain the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

Next, the Election Committee will take up their due responsibilities and select capable and staunch patriots to administer Hong Kong.

As the improved electoral system is now in place, many factors that once hampered the HKSAR's integration into the overall national development will disappear. The Hong Kong society ought to grasp the new opportunities offered by the country's 14th Five-year Plan and other favorable policies to build a better Hong Kong.

With the firm support of the motherland of more than 1.4 billion Chinese, Hong Kong compatriots will undoubtedly advance the practice of "one country, two systems" toward a brighter future.