This undated file photo shows Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, president of the Legislative Council of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (ROY LIU/ CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - President of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen expressed strong disapproval and staunch opposition on Saturday to the decision by a parliamentary group in the United Kingdom to withdraw its invitation to the LegCo to attend the 2023 Westminster Seminar on Effective Parliaments.

In a statement, Leung said the decision by the United Kingdom Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA UK) , which was based on political prejudice and hearsay, showed that they do not understand the actual situation of Hong Kong and attempt to derogate and sideline Hong Kong. 

Leung pointed out that the improvement of the electoral system in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region manifested the broad representation, political inclusiveness and balanced participation in the LegCo

“The LegCo will not participate in this so-called ‘seminar’ that carries blatant political bias,” Leung said.

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He stressed that each jurisdiction has the right to pursue a political system that can best suit its actual situation, and this right should be respected by other parliamentary bodies. 

“The LegCo always respects and welcomes representatives of governments or parliamentary bodies from different regions or with different political systems and is more than willing to explore development opportunities with them,” he said.

Leung pointed out that the improvement of the electoral system in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region manifested the broad representation, political inclusiveness and balanced participation in the LegCo. 

“This enables a spectrum of different voices in the Legislature that upholds the overall interest of Hong Kong. While suiting the actual situation of Hong Kong, the improved electoral system is conducive to better quality of democracy, higher governing effectiveness and good governance," he said.

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Leung emphasized that the LegCo is committed to adopting an inclusive and respectful approach to establish a constructive relationship with other parliamentary bodies with different political systems. 

“The LegCo also welcomes various liaison activities, including receiving other regions' parliamentarians and parliamentary delegations visiting Hong Kong, and will continue to send delegations of the LegCo Members for overseas exchange,” he said.