BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Experts have spoken highly of the newly-elected District Councils of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), noting that they will significantly boost governance standards and the development of the region.

The 7th District Council Ordinary Election, the first of its kind since the HKSAR reformed its District Council system, was successfully held on Sunday.

The new District Council system is seen by observers as a restoration to its due function, plugging previous loopholes and aligning with the provision in the HKSAR Basic Law, which designates them as district organizations rather than organs of political power.

The newly-elected District Council members will begin their four-year term on Jan. 1, 2024.

Lauding the newly unveiled District Councils, Lau Siu-kai, a consultant of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said they mark a substantial completion in reforming Hong Kong's governance framework.

Emphasizing the significance of the reform in realizing the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," he said it laid a foundation for the steady development of Hong Kong and its distinctive democracy that aligns with "one country, two systems" and the Basic Law.

Tian Feilong, vice dean of the Law School of Minzu University of China in Beijing, said that District Councils once became a platform for anti-China elements and external forces to plot "color revolutions."

The new system, he said, has mitigated these risks and restored the councils' core role in serving local communities.

Li Huan, deputy director of the Institute of Hong Kong and Macao Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, emphasized the inclusive nature of the new District Councils, which are composed of patriots from diverse backgrounds, social strata and professions.

Li said this inclusiveness is seen as a more accurate reflection of public sentiment.

Chow Man-kong, secretary-general of Hong Kong Higher Education Convergence, hailed the new-term District Councils as a model of quality democracy that sets the stage for a whole-process and orderly democratic process aligned with Hong Kong's reality.

Chow said he is optimistic that these new councils, working in conjunction with other institutions within the "one country, two systems" framework, will establish a more efficient local governance system.

Looking ahead, Chen Hung-yee, a professor from the Law Department at the University of Hong Kong, expressed confidence that patriotic District Council members would diligently serve at the grassroots level, resulting in enhanced district governance, stable progress, and increased confidence among Hong Kong residents regarding the SAR's future. Enditem

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