Today's (Dec. 10) District Council Ordinary Election is the last jigsaw in the full implementation of the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong", and the voting is pertinent to every resident in the city, Chief Executive John Lee said on Sunday morning.
Stressing the importance of the polls, he said district councils are non-governmental organizations made up of patriots who'll not betray the interests of the country, the city and the community.
Lee spoke after casting his ballot at the Raimondi College polling station in Central, Hong Kong Island.
A total of 399 candidates are vying for 176 seats in the District Committee constituencies, and 88 seats in the geographical constituencies. The rest of the 470 district council seats will be filled by 179 appointed members and 27 ex-officio members. They will hold office for four years from Jan 1, 2024.
Lee said the district council reforms will have a far-reaching impact on every local resident, as well as the city's 18 districts.
He recalled that Hong Kong people still remember vividly the painful experience and harm done to the city during the social unrest in 2019, and the reforms will ensure that what had happened will not recur. The new district councils will be unlike those in the past, and will mark the start of a new chapter, with the councils truly serving the community, said Lee.
The CE emphasized that this year's DC polls represent the final piece jigsaw in the full implementation of the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong".
He urged the public to value their votes and those who'll serve them best, pointing out that the elections are closely related to every aspect of residents' daily lives, such as transportation, infrastructure, and living conditions.
(With China Daily inputs)
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