Hong Kong, 12 Dec (ZXS) -- The general election for the seventh district council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was held on 10 December. This is the first large-scale election in Hong Kong after the HKSAR improved its district governance system and reshaped its district councils.

On May 5 this year, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government announced a proposal to improve regional governance. It includes: reforming the composition of district councils; Introducing a qualification screening system, whereby all District Council members are required to pass the qualification examination; The functions of district councils need to return to the position of "non-political advisory organizations" in the Basic Law, and the system should fully reflect the leadership of the executive; Introduce a performance monitoring system to ensure that District Council members perform their duties, etc.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said at the time that the plan is carried out in accordance with three guiding principles: national security must be put first, and the principle of "one country, two systems" must be fully and accurately and unswervingly implemented; fully implement the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong"; It fully embodies the leadership of the administration.

Amendments to the relevant legislation were subsequently undertaken to implement the proposed proposals. On 5 May, the District Councils (Amendment) Bill 30 was gazetted and tabled for the first and second readings of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR the following day, and the third reading of the Bill was unanimously passed on 2023 July.

On July 7, Lee signed the District Councils (Amendment) Ordinance 7, which was passed by the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in accordance with the Basic Law of Hong Kong. The Ordinance was gazetted on 2023 July and came into operation on the day of its gazetting.

According to the Amendment Ordinance, the seventh term of the District Council of the HKSAR will consist of appointed members, members returned from the District Committee constituency and members returned from the District Council geographical constituency in a ratio of about 4:4:2, plus 27 ex-officio members, bringing the total number of District Council members to 470, i.e. 179 appointed members, 176 members of the District Committee constituency, 88 members of the District Council geographical constituency and 27 ex-officio members for a term of four years.

On 10 October, the nomination period for the current District Council Ordinary Election began and ended on 17 October. During the nomination period, Returning Officers of 10 District Committee constituencies and 30 District Council geographical constituencies received a total of 18 nomination forms (excluding 44 person who withdrew from election).

On 11 November, the District Council Eligibility Review Committee completed the nomination examination of 10 candidates, found that all candidates met the statutory requirements and conditions of "upholding the Basic Law" and "swearing allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region", and ruled that their nominations were valid.

In the 12th District Council Ordinary Election to be held on 10 December, 176 District Committee constituency members and 88 District Council Geographical Constituency members will be elected.

The new-term District Councils will take up their duties on 2024 January 1. (ENDS)