The latter were established on 1 July 1997 by the HKSAR government in order to take up the advisory role of the former district boards which were dissolved when the People's Republic of China resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong.
临时区议会于1997年7月1日由香港特区政府成立，以取代因中华人民共和国恢复对香港行使主权而告解散的前区议会，发挥咨询的功能。