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Central govt authorities warn against disruption, sabotage as HK LegCo elections nomination period begins

Global Times

By Chen Qingqing Published: Oct 24, 2025 11:10 PM

Elections for Hong Kong's eighth-term Legislative Council (LegCo) will be held on December 7. As the nomination period began on Friday, central government agencies in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) issued statements stressing that the election must not be disrupted or sabotaged.

Anti-China and anti-Hong Kong forces have never stopped attempting to interfere in elections and must be vigilantly guarded against making a comeback, according to statements released on Friday by the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the liaison office of the central government in the HKSAR and the office for safeguarding national security of the central government in the HKSAR .
The Liaison Office warned that anti-China forces continue to attempt to disrupt elections. Before the electoral system was improved, these groups colluded with external forces to spread rumors, manipulate public opinion, and even use threats of violence to influence voters, it said.

They also promoted civil disobedience, organized illegal "referendums," incited boycotts, and staged unauthorized primaries during the 2019 turmoil, aiming to trigger a constitutional crisis and subvert the HKSAR government. Such actions seriously undermined election fairness and threatened both national and regional security, the article said.

Since the implementation of the National Security Law (NSL) for Hong Kong and the comprehensive reform of the electoral system under the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong," anti-China forces and their proxies have been legally excluded from governance, the article said.

However, anti-China elements and external forces remain active, the article warned.

Recent attempts to interfere—including spreading false claims of "central interference," circulating so-called "blessing lists," smearing the performance of the seventh-term LegCo, and calling for election boycotts—follow the same playbook.

Their aim is to delegitimize the improved electoral system, challenge central governance, attack the HKSAR government's authority, and destabilize Hong Kong's political environment. Voters are urged to remain vigilant and discerning. Law enforcement and judicial authorities have made clear that any attempts to disrupt elections in any form will face serious legal consequences.

A spokesperson from the office for safeguarding national security of the central government in the HKSAR also stressed on Friday that the LegCo election concerns Hong Kong's constitutional order, democratic development, effective governance, and national security.

Any acts that undermine the election or endanger China's sovereignty, security, or development interests will not be tolerated, the spokesperson said, warning that any interference with the LegCo election or disruption of Hong Kong's constitutional order is strictly prohibited. Likewise, no chaotic election practices that hinder Hong Kong's progress from governance to prosperity will be allowed.

Some Western media reported that in the past two weeks a number of incumbent lawmakers announced they would not seek re-election, suggesting that the December election could see a significant turnover.

"As a scholar of Hong Kong law, I must stress that some Western media's portrayal of a so-called 'withdrawal wave' is seriously misleading," Willy Fu, a law professor who is also the director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

Under Hong Kong's improved electoral system, a lawful qualification review mechanism ensures that all candidates meet the statutory requirements of "upholding the Basic Law and being loyal to the SAR," Fu said, noting that this mechanism is not political screening but reflects the rule of law and aligns with universally accepted political ethics.

Beyond ability and competence, nominees of legislative council candidates should be patriotic, their full commitment and loyalty to national affairs are foreseeable, Chu Kar-kin, a veteran commentator based in the HKSAR and member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

Candidates should be vetted and nominated by members of the HKSAR Election Committee under the Hong Kong Basic Law and local legislation. Any corrupt conduct to use or threaten to use force or duress against candidates or prospective candidates infringes against the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (Hong Kong Legislation Cap. 554) and constitutes a criminal offense , Chu noted.
"Foreign media and journalists enjoy no immunity for violating local laws. They should adhere to professional standards and respect the law and order of other jurisdictions," Chu added.