Xi urges Hong Kong unity

President Xi Jinping urged on Sunday that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government should firmly safeguard national unity and maintain social stability.

Xi made the remarks after hearing a report of Hong Kong's recent situation and the work of the Hong Kong SAR government, made by the HK Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Lima, Peru.

The central government fully recognizes the work of Leung and the SAR government, Xi said, adding that Leung should lead the administrative team to continue making comprehensive measures and widely gathering social consensuses.

Xi also urged Leung to focus on economic development.

On Tuesday, Hong Kong's High Court ruled that two legislators-elect, who used language insulting the Chinese nation while taking their oaths, must be disqualified as lawmakers.

The two legislators-elect, Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching, used derogatory language insulting the Chinese nation when reading out their oaths at a swearing-in ceremony last month. They also displayed banners proclaiming "Hong Kong is Not China."

Their actions led the National People's Congress Standing Committee, to issue an interpretation of Article 104 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong SAR.

"If Hong Kong independence remarks are left unchecked, the authority and credibility of Hong Kong's Legislative Council will be damaged and Hong Kong society and the immediate interests of Hong Kong citizens will be jeopardized," said Rao Geping, a law professor at Peking University.

Xinhua contributed to this story.