The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is currently conducting a review of its district administration, which entails assessing the roles and formation of district councils, and enhancing its governance framework. Article 97 of the Basic Law states that the HKSAR has the authority to establish nonpolitical regional bodies responsible for providing advice on district administration and other affairs, or for providing services in such fields as culture, recreation and environmental sanitation.

As outlined in Article 97, district councils play a crucial role in district administration and consultation, rather than as a political organ. Therefore, any reform of the councils must align with the original legislative intent of the Basic Law and be based on its provisions. In my view, with the principle of “patriots governing Hong Kong” fully implemented, the reform of district councils should serve three key functions: They should assist the government in improving people’s livelihoods and resolving social conflict; they should help foster a harmonious society and enhance social planning and development; and they should act as a communication bridge between the government and residents, enabling them to better understand government policies and to provide feedback.

It is important to bear in mind that district councils are advisory bodies, rather than political decision-makers. Their primary role is to provide advice and recommendations to the government based on the needs of residents in the respective districts. With the appropriate reform in place, the district councils can become an influential platform for promoting good governance, citizen participation, and social cohesion rather than causing trouble for our city.

Uphold principle of ‘patriots governing Hong Kong’

With this role in place, district councils can be formed through various means, including by appointment, through direct election, or indirect election. However, it is crucial that certain conditions are met to ensure effective district administration. Elections should not fuel populism in the community, and campaigns should prioritize civilized conversation, constructive and high-quality messages. District platforms should not be utilized to disseminate messages of hatred toward the nation or government. Finally, district councilors must not focus solely on the interests of their districts but should also possess a broader perspective of local development. This will enable them to reach consensuses on good planning policies for Hong Kong.

Quality of service prevails

The role of district councils must contribute to good governance, citizen participation, and social cohesion. During my 12 years’ service as a directly elected district councilor, I collaborated with different appointed district councilors for four years. The contribution of many appointed members, who came from professional and business sectors with extensive social connections, cannot be underestimated. Their experience was always helpful in assisting district councilors from different backgrounds to reach a consensus on contentious matters. My experience is that after the abolition of the appointment system in 2012, district councils became highly politicized, and the well-being of residents unfortunately took a back seat because targeted campaigns for elections prevailed over livelihood issues.

In addition, after the illegal “Occupy Central” movement in 2014 and the riots in 2019, district councils worsened in terms of efficiency and social services. Rather than providing meaningful service to their constituents, district councils devolved into domination by a group of radical figures who relied on slogans and political posturing. Inexperienced individuals with little relevant expertise were elected with substantial numbers of votes. My views were confirmed when I saw that those elections did not result in improvements to the well-being of residents, but instead had a detrimental effect on the livelihoods of our residents and the community. A substantial number of councilors focused solely on political matters, disregarding the impact of their actions on residents, and some even went so far as to post discriminatory messages outside their council offices, targeting specific segments of the population. That was far too much for our community to bear. I firmly believe that public funds should not have been spent on such harmful pursuits. Changes must be made.

In the past, constituencies were divided into excessively small areas, and as a result, numerous people’s livelihood-planning initiatives were stymied by minor disagreements, impeding progress. Therefore, I support the proposal of the government to expand the size of the constituencies. I believe this would enable district councils to tackle local affairs from a proper urban planning perspective as mentioned before.

The disorder that arose in district councils during the riots in 2019 brought to light the issues that exist in the system. The flaws and loopholes inherent in the election methods resulted in councils that prioritized political objectives over the welfare of residents. Additionally, some radical members infiltrated district councils and transformed them into political platforms for spreading hatred against the central government and mainland residents. Consequently, it is imperative to undertake reforms of the district administration that adhere to the interest of our country and the Hong Kong community. 

Improvement of residents’livelihoods is the top priority

To prevent such disgusting incidents from occurring again, it is essential that the leadership of district councils be entrusted to members who truly love our community and Hong Kong. The definition of a patriot is very simple: It refers to an individual who honors our nation, wholeheartedly endorses the motherland’s sovereignty, and avoids causing harm to the HKSAR’s stability and prosperity. A patriot shall uphold the People’s Republic of China’s Constitution and the HKSAR’s Basic Law, safeguarding our national security, and abide by the rule of law.

The proposal of the government is to restore district councils to realign with the Basic Law’s original objective, to serve their function as a “consultation platform” and “service provider”. By doing so, district councils will serve as the government’s “community thermometers”, offering consultation and gauging public sentiment to assist the government in implementing policies and measures. It will also help the government to identify and address residents’ concerns proactively, resolve disputes, and prevent potential social crises.

As previously mentioned, appointed, indirectly elected, and directly elected members each bring their own particular strengths and expertise into district councils. I have confidence that after the reform, district councils will do a better job for our community, and serve as a problem-solving forum rather than conflict-causing market.

The author is a member of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, and the Legislative Council.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.