HONG KONG/BEIJING - A Chinese central government office spokesperson on Thursday expressed strong condemnation against the so-called "resignation en masse" by some opposition lawmakers in the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The move, staged after the decision of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on the qualification of the LegCo members, was a blatant challenge to the power of the central authorities and the authority of the Basic Law of the HKSAR, said the spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Office of the State Council.

The decision on the qualification of the LegCo members as well as disqualifying the four LegCo lawmakers were meant to safeguard the rule of law and the constitutional order of the HKSAR, and will benefit the orderly operation of the legislative body and social stability. The measures were supported by Hong Kong residents, said the spokesperson.

The farce of so-called "resignation en masse" initiated by 15 opposition lawmakers, fully exposed their nature to gain personal political interests in disregard of public interests, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also expressed appreciation of the decision of some lawmakers, though being labeled "opposition," to continue performing their duties instead of participating in the "resignation en masse."

The spokesperson said the farce of "resignation en masse" will not affect the operation of the LegCo.

A spokesperson for the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR expressed similar sentiment on Wednesday, condemning the 15 LegCo members for "making a scene of resigning en masse" on the pretext of the disqualification of four LegCo members.

The opposition lawmakers' resignation en masse is an act opposing the decision of the NPC Standing Committee and "one country, two systems," which is doomed to destroy their own political future but will not affect the progress of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong.

A spokesperson for the office said opposition lawmakers have been struggling and capricious about whether to stay or not since the NPC Standing Committee decided that the 6th LegCo would continue to discharge duties for at least another year in accordance with the law.

A spokesperson for the liaison office said the 15 opposition lawmakers' resignation is not only irresponsible to themselves, but also irresponsible to the people who had voted for them

In August and September, they made a "political decision" to stay in the LegCo on the grounds of "public support" resulted from their "polls." But the high-profile declaration of "resign en masse with no hesitation" made by the 15 opposition lawmakers was not based on any polls.

READ MORE: Liaison office firmly backs NPC decision on legislators

The 15 opposition lawmakers' resignation is not only irresponsible to themselves but also irresponsible to those who had voted for them, the spokesperson said.

Foreign interference condemned

Also on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Commissioner's Office of Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR firmly refuted and strongly condemned allegations by some Western politicians concerning the decision by the NPC Standing Committee.

The decision, said the spokesperson, is a reasonable, legitimate and necessary to safeguard the enduring success of "one country, two systems", and no external force shall interfere.

The spokesperson said that it is an international common practice to require an oath of allegiance for holders of public office and legislators to uphold constitutional laws and pledge allegiance to their home countries. 

The spokesperson pointed out the principle that Hong Kong shall be governed by Hong Kong people with patriots as the mainstay is an integral part of "one country, two systems" from the very beginning. 

ALSO READ: LegCo chief urges lawmakers to act in best interest of community

The spokesperson said that it is proper and consistent with the Constitution that the NPC Standing Committee, as the permanent body of the highest organ of state power in China, deals with constitutional issues in the implementation of the Basic Law and the National Security Law in Hong Kong.

The spokesperson pointed out that some Western politicians have distorted the truth by vilifying China's just effort to clarify the qualifications of LegCo members in accordance with the law. They have applied double standards out of entrenched ideological bias, meddled with China's internal affairs, and trampled international law and basic norms governing international relations.

"Any interference in Hong Kong affairs will be firmly hit back by all Chinese people, including our Hong Kong compatriots, and any attempt to play Hong Kong as a card against China will reach a dead end," the spokesperson said.

The HKSAR government on Wednesday published in the gazette the decision of the NPC Standing Committee on the qualification of LegCo members.

The gazette came after the announcement by the HSAR government — following the decision adopted by the top legislature of China — that four members of the LegCo, Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, Kwok Ka-ki, Dennis Kwok Wing-hang and Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong, have been disqualified.

The four were the sixth-term LegCo members whose nominations to stand for the seventh-term LegCo election originally scheduled on Sept 6 were invalidated by the HKSAR.