The Chinese national flags and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region flags are displayed in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, on June 30, 2020 to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland. (RAYMOND CHAN / CHINA DAILY)

BEIJING/HONG KONG - Improving the electoral system in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will ensure Hong Kong residents better realize their democratic rights and freedom, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in Beijing on Tuesday.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a routine press conference in response to comments by certain US lawmakers on the matter.

The spokesperson stressed that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and the electoral system of the HKSAR is China's local electoral system

The US lawmakers were interfering in Hong Kong affairs, which are China's internal affairs, Zhao said, adding in improving the electoral system of Hong Kong, the NPC is exercising a power as well as fulfilling a duty conferred on it by the Constitution.

The move will advance the cause of "one country, two systems" and help maintain the long-term stability of Hong Kong. "It is completely constitutional, legal, justified and reasonable," said Zhao.

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Fixing the flaws of the current electoral system of the HKSAR will provide a guarantee for Hong Kong residents to better realize their democratic rights and freedom, he said.

The spokesperson stressed that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and the electoral system of the HKSAR is China's local electoral system.

"Its design, development and improvement fall entirely under China's internal affairs. No country is entitled to make irresponsible remarks," said Zhao.

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Also on Tuesday, former Secretary for Justice of the HKSAR government Elsie Leung said that improving Hong Kong's electoral system is imperative and holds solid legal ground, stressing that Hong Kong will embrace an even brighter future with the improved electoral system.

Leung made the remarks as a draft decision on improving the electoral system of the HKSAR has been submitted to the National People's Congress for deliberation at the top legislature's annual session.

The implementation of "one country, two systems" has been steady in Hong Kong with the support of the central authorities but new methods are required to address problems emerging in recent years, including the social unrest in 2019, she said.

Hong Kong has resumed stability thanks to the actions of the central authorities, but if anti-China disruptors plunge Hong Kong into chaos again after the COVID-19 epidemic is controlled, the impact will be intolerable, Leung said.