The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Friday has warned that attempts are ongoing by anti-China troublemakers to disrupt the upcoming legislature poll in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

An article written under the name Gang Ao-ping, posted on the HKMAO’s official social media account cautioned the city to remain vigilant against attempts by anti-China forces to destabilize the electoral process, saying that law enforcement will not sit idly by if any such attempts are made.

The article was published on the same day that the city opened its nomination process — which runs until Nov 6 — for the legislative poll. The election is set to take place on Dec 7.

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The article was published on the same day that the city opened its nomination process — which runs until Nov 6 — for the legislative poll. The election is set to take place on Dec 7.

The article noted that certain false narratives have been in circulation around the city concerning the legislature poll, including fabricated claims of interference by the central government, the existence of a so-called “blessing lists”, unfounded attacks on the performance of current Legislative Council (LegCo) members, as well as calls to boycott the poll.

These all signal a troubling return to previous tactics employed in an effort to sabotage the electoral process, the article noted.

According to the article, the aims of such efforts are to deny that the electoral system has been improved, challenge the central government's overall jurisdiction over the Hong Kong SAR, attack the governance of the HKSAR government, disrupt the city’s transformation through good governance to prosperity, and drag the city back into political chaos.

Such efforts by anti-China troublemakers have never ceased, the article said.

Before the city improved its electoral system, troublemakers conspired with external forces to smear and sabotage the electoral process, spread misleading polls, and resort to violence to manipulate voters, the article detailed.  

During the 2019 social unrest, anti-China activists plotted to grab control of Hong Kong by securing a majority in the legislature, it added.

Such actions severely threaten the integrity of elections and pose significant threats to national security and the stability of the regional government, said the article.

Following the implementation of the Safeguarding National Security law and the improvements to the SAR’s electoral system, the city ushered in a pivotal transformation toward “patriots governing Hong Kong”, keeping troublemakers and their proxies out of the city’s governing team.

Vigilance from all sectors of the public remains essential, the article said, and the SAR’s law enforcement and judicial bodies will not stand idly by; anyone attempting to interfere with or disrupt the elections will face legal repercussions and severe penalties.

The article also called on voters to cherish their ballots and proactively exercise their democratic right to cast a responsible vote for the future of their city.

It said that the upcoming eighth Legislative Council election in the HKSAR will further strengthen the foundations for good governance in Hong Kong through genuine, effective and practical democratic practices, and open up a new, high-quality democracy that is suited to the conditions in Hong Kong.

The article pointed out that some incumbent lawmakers have chosen not to stand for re-election — a move attributed to their desire to “pass on the torch to a new generation of patriots”.

Society is in favor of the new, patriots-only electoral system, the article said, and residents have confidence that the election will be conducted in “a fair, just, safe and orderly” manner, with candidates engaging in healthy competition.

The process will result in the election of the most capable individuals, who will dedicate themselves to public service and good, effective governance, according to the article.

Following the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China — which concluded on Thursday — there are now widespread expectations in Hong Kong that a synergistic partnership between the new-term LegCo and the SAR government will be formed to pursue the high-quality development that will benefit both the city and the nation.

Lau Siu-kai, a consultant to the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said that while Hong Kong’s political landscape has been reshaped to enhance stability, anti-China troublemakers in the city still lurk in various sectors, garnering significant support.

The individuals engaging in sabotage efforts are unlikely to openly disrupt the election process, Lau said, but will use subtler tactics to discourage Hong Kong residents from voting, such as sowing doubts over the election’s fairness or legitimacy, discrediting candidates, or diverting public attention to unrelated issues.

To deal with this threat, the SAR government and patriots must remain highly vigilant, and must expose any such actions to foil them.

“Upholding public confidence in the electoral process is crucial to combat these unsound, anti-China narratives and ensure the city’s long-term stability,” Lau said.

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A separate statement issued on Friday by the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, also advised caution, noting that certain external and anti-China forces remain undeterred and are actively attempting to disrupt the election with the malicious intent to plunge the city into turmoil.

The office’s spokesman stressed that there will be no leniency shown to anyone who attempts to disrupt electoral order and threaten national security.

The office will firmly back Hong Kong in countering any external interference to safeguard “a fair, just, safe and orderly” election, the statement said.

Contact the writer at wanqing@chinadailyhk.com