Macao SAR voices support for NPC's adoption of amended annexes to HKSAR Basic Law

MACAO -- The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR and the Office of the Commissioner of Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Macao SAR on Tuesday said they firmly support the adoption by the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, of the amended Annexes I and II to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR.

The amendments were passed at the closing meeting of the 27th session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee on Tuesday.

The Annexes I and II to the HKSAR Basic Law, which concern the method for the selection of the HKSAR Chief Executive and the method for the formation of the HKSAR Legislative Council and its voting procedures, respectively, are a key component of the HKSAR political system, the Macao SAR government said in a statement.

The Macao SAR government said the NPC move will help safeguard the national sovereignty, security and development interests and ensure Hong Kong's long term prosperity and stability, noting that it is a significant step taken in fully implementing the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" as well as an action by the central authorities in exercising constitutional powers and duties.

Voicing its firm support for the NPC move, the liaison office of the central government in the Macao SAR said in a statement that it marks the latest effort by the NPC after formulating the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR in the implementation of "one country, two systems", which will help maintain the constitutional order of HKSAR as stipulated in the Constitution and the Basic Law.

A spokesperson of the Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Macao SAR noted that ensuring Hong Kong is administered by patriots will help remove the risks of external forces and their political agents meddling in Hong Kong affairs.

Patriots administering Hong Kong is the common aspiration of all Chinese people including compatriots in the Hong Kong and Macao SARs, the spokesperson said, stressing that any scheme to interfere in Hong Kong affairs and exert pressure on China is doomed to fail.