The "Proposal of the State Council on Requesting the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to Make a Decision on the Continued Operation of the Sixth Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" has been submitted to the 21st meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress for deliberation today. Entrusted by the State Council, Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, explained the proposal.
On July 28, 2020, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam submitted to the Central People’s Government the “Report on the Postponement of the 2020 Legislative Council Election in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region”, reporting on the recent Hong Kong’s new crown pneumonia epidemic that seriously affected the election. In an emergency, the Chief Executive in Council decided to postpone the election of the seventh legislative council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region originally scheduled to be held on September 6, 2020, and requested the Central People’s Government to request the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress to discuss the seventh In the event of postponement of the Legislative Council elections, relevant arrangements have been made for the vacancy of the legislature.
The State Council believes that the decision of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to postpone the general election of the seventh legislative council in accordance with the "Regulations on Emergency Situations" has sufficient legal basis and is in line with the actual situation of the current development of the epidemic in Hong Kong, and is conducive to ensuring public safety and security. The fairness of elections is in the public interest and is necessary and appropriate. The State Council issued an official letter to Chief Executive Carrie Lam on July 29, stating that the Central People's Government supports the relevant decisions of the Chief Executive in Council. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress made relevant decisions in a timely manner on the issue of legislative vacancies after the postponement of the election of the seventh legislative council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. This is very important for ensuring the governance of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the normal operation of society and maintaining the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong necessary. (CCTV reporter Zhang Lin Zhaojing)