Following is the transcript of remarks by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan, at a media session after attending a radio programme today (May 6):

Reporter: Mr Cheung, you mentioned that the current system cannot meet the aim that stated in the Basic Law. Do you mean that like, through changing this system can reach the aim? And also, because some people may worry that the District Council will have the same stance and same opinions later, so how to choose these councilors in the future? What are some of the criteria for them?

Deputy Secretary for Justice: As you can see from the experiences in the last few years, the existing District Council cannot fulfill the objective as stipulated in Article 97 of the Basic Law. Now, actually the proposal is trying to fix the problem, and hope that the District Council can return to what it should be under Article 97. The proposal is fully complied (with the Basic Law). As you can see from the Basic Law, how to compose the membership of the District Council is based on Article 98 of the Basic Law. So it is a matter of Hong Kong. That is why the Hong Kong Government has the new proposal for the Legislative Council to consider. I hope that we can have many more persons who are keen to serve the community in future, no matter whether they are from professional background or from other backgrounds. The most important (of all) is that they are willing to serve the community.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Saturday, May 6, 2023