File photo: CGTN

BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on Monday said it is wrong to state that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) exercises the "separation of powers" and such a false statement must be corrected.

The spokesperson expressed support for the HKSAR education bureau's decision to delete relevant content from school textbooks.

The HKSAR, a local administrative region directly under the central government, enjoys a high degree of autonomy, with its administrative, legislative and judicial powers all delegated by the central authorities, the spokesperson said.

The constitutional status of the HKSAR determines that its political system should not be simply compared with that of a sovereign state, nor can it exercise the "separation of powers" based on the complete power of a sovereign state, the spokesperson said, adding that the "separation of powers" has never existed in Hong Kong.

According to the HKSAR Basic Law, the chief executive is in the leading and core position in the setup and operation of the political power, while the administrative and legislative organs hold each other in check but more importantly coordinate with each other. The judiciary exercises the judicial power independently, the spokesperson said.

Not to exercise the "separation of powers" is an important guiding principle in drafting the Basic Law, the spokesperson said.

By fervently preaching the "separation of powers," some people in Hong Kong seek to undermine the authority of the chief executive and the HKSAR government as well as to resist the central government's overall jurisdiction over Hong Kong through expanding legislative and judicial powers, the spokesperson said.