Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor speaks during a media session in September. Photo: Xinhua

Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said the authority has overcome significant difficulties to ensure district council elections were held smoothly amid months of social unrest in the city. 

The elections were completed smoothly as the regional government is committed to upholding "one country, two systems" and protecting human rights and freedom under the Basic Law, Lam noted.

"The nature of the elections is simply to elect district council members to serve the 18 district councils, and it's neither for the government nor for me to give another interpretation," Lam said in response to media reports that deemed the election as a "de facto referendum for Hong Kong people," considering the record high of voter turnout. 

Polling stations closed at 10:30 pm on Sunday and according to the official data, voter turnout was 71.2 percent of the 4.1 million registered voters, compared to a 47 percent turnout in the 2015 polls. The previous record high was 58 percent in the 2016 Legislative Council elections.

A large number of voters not only selected their preferred candidate to sit on the district council but also voted to express their view on many social issues, the chief executive said.  The result reflects dissatisfaction with the HKSAR government, Lam said.

Lam said during the press conference on Tuesday that she has not received any instructions from the central government on who will be held accountable for the election results.

Lam condemned the violence saying no one should resort to violence, which will not solve problems and only hurt Hong Kong.

Global Times