Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor meets the press at Central Government Offices in Hong Kong on March 8, 2021. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Monday thanked the central government for taking care of Hong Kong's electoral system defects and loopholes, a problem the city found it difficult to handle on its own.

Speaking to media after returning to Hong Kong from Beijing, Lam said this is the second time that the central government has exercised its power from the constitutional level to bail the city out of its quandary following its earlier effort to enact the National Security Law for Hong Kong.

By keeping the power to administer the HKSAR in the hands of patriots, "one country, two systems" can be fully and accurately implemented in the city, CE Carrie Lam said

By keeping the power to administer the SAR in the hands of patriots, "one country, two systems" can be fully and accurately implemented in the city, Lam said.

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Welcoming the central government's efforts, Lam also pledged to render full cooperation to the central government on improving the city's electoral system.

The cooperation will come in three phases, Lam said. First, the SAR government will roll out comprehensive program to explain the necessity, imperativeness and process of law amendment to the public. Then it will collect views on the local law amendment from different sectors. And last, it will start local legislation, she said.

On Friday, the nation's top legislature National People's Congress began to deliberate a draft decision on improving Hong Kong's electoral system. It will be conducted in a two-step approach, namely, the NPC will make a decision first and its Standing Committee will amend Annex I and II of Hong Kong SAR's Basic Law.

Lam said after that, the SAR will apply the amendment locally by way of legislation.

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