Apart from displaying the national flag and emblem of the People's Republic of China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may also use a regional flag and emblem, which includes _________.

The correct answer highlights the official entities that can utilize the regional flag and emblem of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). These entities—the executive authorities, legislature, and judiciary—represent the governing structures of the HKSAR. According to the Basic Law, the HKSAR is granted a high degree of autonomy, and the use of the regional flag and emblem is an expression of its identity and governance.

The executive authorities include the Chief Executive and the government, which administer the region. The legislature refers to the Legislative Council, which is responsible for making laws. Meanwhile, the judiciary encompasses the courts and judicial system that uphold the rule of law in Hong Kong. Therefore, allowing these primary governing entities to display the regional flag and emblem underscores their role in representing the HKSAR and its unique jurisdiction within China.

In contrast, the other options list groups that do not have the formal authority to represent the HKSAR as its official entities do. Government officials and foreign diplomats, for example, operate under various protocols that may not involve the use of the regional symbols in an official capacity. Legal practitioners work within the legal framework that serves the judiciary but do not represent the HKSAR on their own. Similarly, foreign residents, the business