HONG KONG - The Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Thursday pledged to firmly support and implement a decision on improving the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

It is imperative to improve the HKSAR's electoral system, the office said in a statement after the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, adopted the decision on Thursday, citing the chaos in Hong Kong particularly since the turmoil in 2019 over the now-withdrawn ordinance amendments.

The move is urgently needed to eliminate political turbulence and sustain Hong Kong's transition from chaos to stability, according to the statement.

In another statement, the central government’s liaison office in Hong Kong said the nation’s decision to improve Hong Kong’s electoral system is legitimate and progressive, and will benefit the city’s democratic development and long-term stability.

A spokesman for the liaison office said the improvements in Hong Kong’s electoral system proposed in the NPC’s decision would be conducive to Hong Kong’s democracy and long-term stability, in particular through the reconstruction of the city’s Election Committee, which elects the chief executive

The spokesman for the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR noted that the improvements in Hong Kong’s electoral system proposed in the NPC’s decision would be conducive to Hong Kong’s democracy and long-term stability, in particular through the reconstruction of the city’s Election Committee, which elects the chief executive.

READ MORE: China adopts decision to improve HK electoral system

According to the decision, the Election Committee will have more functions, more seats, and a more diverse composition. The enlarged Election Committee will be responsible for electing not only the city’s top leader, but also a certain number of lawmakers, as well as nominating candidates for the chief executive and legislature. It will reflect the voice of a broader constituency, including “grassroots”, district organization members, and Hong Kong members of national bodies, such as the NPC and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

The spokesman said that the improvements proposed to the electoral system will enhance and balance political participation of different sectors of the community, protect the democratic rights of local residents and quality of democracy they enjoy, and recalibrate the Election Committee to make it in line with the actual situation in Hong Kong with wider representation.

The spokesman also called on various sectors of the community to provide suggestions for the Standing Committee of the NPC, which is empowered to amend Annex I and Annex II of the Basic Law, involving the methods to select the chief executive and form and selection of the Legislative Council, in accordance with the NPC’s decision.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR said the NPC decision lays out the basic principles for and core elements of the improvement of the electoral system of the HKSAR in light of Hong Kong's realities and practical needs.

ALSO READ: Time to develop new democratic electoral system with HK traits

It provides a solid institutional guarantee for promoting the development of a democratic system suiting Hong Kong's realities and ensuring the power of administering Hong Kong will be held in the hands of patriots, a spokesperson for the office said.

With Xinhua inputs