Photo taken on June 11, 2020 shows the city view of Hong Kong, south China.(Xinhua/Li Gang)

BEIJING, July 14  -- A spokesperson for the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council said Tuesday that it will never allow any illegal manipulation in the Legislative Council (LegCo) election in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The spokesperson condemned the so-called "primaries" recently organized by the opposition camp in Hong Kong, saying that such acts have constituted illegal manipulation of the LegCo election and posed a blatant challenge to the HKSAR Basic Law and the national security law for the HKSAR.

The spokesperson expressed resolute support for punishing such illegal acts in accordance with the law.

Hong Kong is scheduled to hold a general election for the seventh-term LegCo in September.

The so-called "primaries" sought to hijack public opinion under the pretext of a "referendum," said the spokesperson, noting that they posed a grave threat to the constitutional order of the HKSAR and harmed the democratic electoral system in Hong Kong.

The so-called "primaries" and "referendum" are not stipulated in the Basic Law or any existing law on an election in Hong Kong, rendering such acts organized by any group or individual illegal, the spokesperson said.

Also, the so-called "primaries" have severely disturbed the election order and may have violated the national security law for the HKSAR, the spokesperson added.