Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah casts her ballot in the Legislative Council General Election 2021 at the German Swiss International School polling station at the Peak, Dec 19, 2021. (RAYMOND CHAN / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG – Hong Kong’s Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah has refuted biased and ungrounded criticisms from the international community on the city’s Legislative Council election.

In a new blog post issued on Tuesday, Cheng said that it is not something new to verify the eligibility of people to be nominated as a candidate in LegCo election, which was held smoothly on Sunday.

“In the past, this exercise was conducted solely by a Returning Officer in accordance with the legal requirements and relevant procedures,” she said. Under the improved electoral system, the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee was set up, she added. The committee is chaired by Hong Kong’s chief secretary and comprising official members as well as eminent members of the public.

Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah said that it is not something new to verify the eligibility of people to be nominated as a candidate in Legislative Council election, which was held smoothly on Sunday

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“Their task is to decide whether a person complies with the legal requirements and conditions for upholding the Basic Law and swearing allegiance to the HKSAR. The inclusion of independent and respectable individuals as non-official members enhanced the credibility of the CERC,” she said.

The composition of the LegCo has been increased from 70 to 90 members who are returned by geographical constituencies, functional constituencies and the Election Committee. This demonstrated a broader representation with candidates from all walks of life, Cheng said.

“It is indisputable that the election was carried out in a fair, just and honest manner,” she said, adding that one should not adopt a blinkered approach and unfairly criticize the LegCo election by only focusing on one aspect of the whole process.

She reiterated that there is no single model of democracy and “elections are not the only approach for a democratic system.”

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“Compromise and consultation are also means to achieve democracy,” she said.

It is of fundamental importance that an electoral system should comply with the constitutional order and suited to the historical, cultural and political background of the place, she added.