CY Leung Chun-ying delivers a speech at the Seminar on Hong Kong Legislative Council - Then and Now on Feb 10, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong’s political leaders on Friday hailed the profound changes in the development of the city’s Legislative Council, saying that following the electoral improvements, it is now playing a crucial role to safeguard the city’s stability and prosperity.

They also condemned a UK parliamentary group’s groundless accusations concerning the city’s legislature and its democratic situation, saying such accusations were “extremely ironic”. 

In late January, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), a UK parliamentary group, rescinded an invitation to the Hong Kong legislature to attend an upcoming global seminar, the 2023 Westminster Seminar on Effective Parliaments, citing Hong Kong’s “deteriorating political situation”.

During a Friday seminar focusing on the Hong Kong legislature’s development, Leung Chun-ying, a vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said that it was unreasonable of the CPA to have withdrawn the invitation

During a Friday seminar focusing on the Hong Kong legislature’s development, Leung Chun-ying, a vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said that it was unreasonable of the CPA to have withdrawn the invitation.

Leung said that Hong Kong’s political situation has improved a lot since the handover and the city enjoys a high degree of freedom under the principle of “one country, two systems”.

He noted that all members of the Hong Kong legislature under British rule were appointed without any form of election by British governors for over a century until 1985. And now all the members of the legislature are constituted by election.

He also pointed out that the UK itself faces numerous social problems, such as its sputtering economy, public financing difficulties, high and rising crime rates, and a crumbling healthcare system. “It’s extreme irony for the UK parliamentary group to showcase the so-called effective governance.”

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Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee delivers a speech at the Seminar on Hong Kong Legislative Council - Then and Now on Feb 10, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Executive Council convenor and lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said that there is some clear evidence that Hong Kong has changed for the better.

For example, after the National Security Law for Hong Kong took effect on 30 June 2020 and the NPC passed the decision to improve the electoral system of the Hong Kong SAR on March 11, 2021, the city’s has returned to the right track, order in the Legislative Council was restored, and a new round of elections was successfully held, Ip said.

By improving the electoral laws, more rationality and balance have been introduced to Hong Kong Legislative Council and it also becomes more representative with members with various backgrounds,, Ip said. “This sort of amendment is very necessary for Hong Kong’s future,” she added.

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Lawmaker Carmen Kan Wai-mun said that with the electoral reform, Hong Kong’s Legislative Council has become more professional and efficient. Under the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong”, the city has been able to adhere to the original intent of the “one country, two systems” policy, and make better use of it.