(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Chief Executive John Lee said today that everyone seeking nomination for the 2023 District Council Ordinary Election must satisfy the same requirements under the improved District Council electoral system, regardless of their backgrounds.

Meeting reporters ahead of the Executive Council meeting this morning, Mr Lee revealed that 399 people have submitted nomination forms for the election.

Of this number, 228 nominations are for the 18 District Committees constituencies while 171 are for the 44 District Council geographical constituencies.

Asked by reporters if the nomination threshold is too high, thereby preventing some political parties from participating in the election, Mr Lee said all the procedures and rules governing the poll apply equally to everybody and have been made open and fair.

“First of all, he must be a patriot,” Mr Lee said, referring to individuals seeking nomination. “He must support the Basic Law and bear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. And he has also to obtain sufficient nomination votes.”

He added that those who have been given the right to nominate candidates must ensure that those who seek their nomination satisfy certain conditions.

“In exercising this duty, the person, in considering whether to give his nomination, has also to convince himself that the person who is seeking his nomination is a competent person, and also that he will be able to discharge his duty as a district councillor effectively and faithfully, and satisfy this basic expectation.

“That applies to anybody, whatever background, whether he belongs to any political party or not. I think that is most important because the system has to be fair, and it applies to everybody in the same way.”

The Government will hold a seminar this afternoon to further promote its reforms to district governance system.

Representatives from various sectors of the community, including leaders of political groups with affection for the country and Hong Kong, and authoritative experts and scholars, are invited to attend.