HONG KONG - The Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Wednesday said the political rule that Hong Kong must be governed by patriots shall be firmly guarded.

The office expressed firm support for a decision made by China's top legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), on the qualification of members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) of the HKSAR.

The office expressed firm support for a decision made by China's top legislature on the qualification of members of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR

The liaison office also expressed firm support for the HKSAR government's announcement to disqualify four members of the sixth LegCo based on the NPC decision.

The office said in a statement that as the permanent body of China's highest organ of state power, the NPC Standing Committee has the power to decide on constitutional issues related to the implementation of the HKSAR Basic Law and the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR.

The legal effect and authority of relevant decisions brook no challenge, it said.

The NPC Standing Committee's decision has established an institutional rule on the disqualification of HKSAR LegCo members and it clearly applies to relevant members of the sixth LegCo, according to the statement.

It is in line with Article 104 of the HKSAR Basic Law, relevant interpretations of the NPC Standing Committee and the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, the office said, adding that it is also an improvement to the SAR system under the "one country, two systems."

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The decision has drawn the bottom-line and set a rule for those holding public offices in the HKSAR governance system concerning their constitutional obligation of allegiance to the country and the HKSAR.

It also serves as legal support for the SAR carrying out local legislation for Article 104 of the HKSAR Basic Law in accordance with the NPC Standing Committee's relevant interpretations and decisions, the statement said.

The office noted that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and that to be a patriot loving both the country and Hong Kong is a political ethic that must be firmly upheld by everyone in public office. Such a requirement is also defined in China's Constitution and the Basic Law of the HKSAR.

The office stressed that only by resolutely ensuring the central government's overall jurisdiction over the SAR and unswervingly upholding the rule of patriots governing Hong Kong, can "one country, two systems" keep progressing along the right path and the lasting prosperity and stability in Hong Kong be fundamentally secured. 

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's State Council said the NPC Standing Committee decision has unchallengeable legal authority.

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The decision provides a solid legal basis for regulating and dealing with matters concerning the qualification of LegCo members, said the office in a statement.

The office said it resolutely supports the decision and supports the HKSAR government's announcement to disqualify LegCo members, including Dennis Kwok Wing-hang, in accordance with law.

The office noted that it has been determined in accordance with law that the disqualified members have failed to genuinely uphold the HKSAR Basic Law or to honor their pledge of allegiance to the HKSAR, and were disqualified from the election of the SAR's seventh LegCo. 

As a natural result, they are no longer eligible to hold their LegCo seats while the sixth LegCo continues performing duties.

The HKSAR government's announcement of the disqualifications has fully shown the justness and authority of the rule of law, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of China's State Council said

This is a requisite for safeguarding the principle and bottom-line of "one country, two systems" and for upholding the authority of the Constitution and the Basic Law, the statement said. 

This is also a common call from all upright people in Hong Kong, it added.

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According to the statement, the decision bears important significance to fully and faithfully implementing the "one country, two systems" principle, protecting the HKSAR's constitutional order as defined in the Constitution and the Basic Law, safeguarding China's sovereignty, security and development interests, and maintaining Hong Kong's social stability.

The HKSAR government's announcement of the disqualifications has fully shown the justness and authority of the rule of law, it added.

The office stressed that any attempt to seize personal political interests by confronting the NPC Standing Committee's decision or by challenging the central authority's power and the authority of the Basic Law is "doomed to be nothing but a demagogic and vain farce."

There should never be a place in HKSAR's political power organs including its administrative, legislative and judicial organs for any people who advocate or support "Hong Kong independence," disavow the country's sovereignty and its exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, seek foreign or external forces' intervention in HKSAR's affairs or conduct other acts undermining the country's national security, according to the statement.

It is a basic requirement for patriotic people governing Hong Kong, it added.

The office also called for further improvement of relevant systems and mechanisms to secure the implementation of the policy of "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" with patriots playing the principal role in governance and to ensure that the practice of "one country, two systems" is carried out along a right path and is not bent or distorted.

The decision is conducive to ensuring the sixth LegCo to continue operation smoothly, the office said, adding that it has also created favorable conditions for the HKSAR government to concentrate on boosting the economy, ensuring people's livelihood and solving deep-seated problems.