-Hong Kong lays out local law amendment, elections following national
legislation
-HK says electoral reforms to root out risks of ‘color revolutions’
-Chinese FM believes new electoral system to usher in brighter future for HK
BEIJING: To fully reflect the criterion of “patriots administering Hong Kong,” China’s top legislature voted unanimously on Tuesday to adopt the amended Annex I and Annex II to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), a decision at the constitutional level to improve Hong Kong’s electoral system.
The unanimous approval shows the common will from all Chinese people – including compatriots from the HKSAR – in safeguarding national sovereignty, security, development interests, and their firm determination in preserving the order of Hong Kong’s legal system, said Chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Li Zhanshu at the Tuesday meeting. The meeting was attended by 167 members of the NPC Standing Committee.
The two annexes – passed at the closing meeting of the 27th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th NPC – address the method for the selection of the HKSAR Chief Executive and the method for the formation of the HKSAR Legislative Council and its voting procedures, respectively.
President Xi Jinping signed presidential orders to promulgate the amended annexes.
The meeting also passed bills related to personnel appointment and removal.
Li also presided over two meetings of the Council of Chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee before the closing meeting. Following the national legislation, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam disclosed that the city will hold elections for the expanded Election Committee in September, while Legislative Council (LegCo) elections will be held in December.
Other follow-up arrangements based on the national legislature’s approval of Hong Kong’s electoral reform plan have also been announced, showing the determination and efficiency of the SAR government, analysts said.
Lam made the announcement at a press briefing Tuesday afternoon, after the NPC Standing Committee passed amendments to Annexes I and II of the Basic Law of the HKSAR, paving the way for Hong Kong’s electoral system overhaul.
The current LegCo will operate until mid or late October, while elections for the new LegCo will be held in December, Lam said.
The LegCo election had been previously scheduled for September 2020, but was postponed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 epidemic.
Lam pointed to three areas of work that will follow – public communication, local legislation, and arrangement of elections. The HKSAR government aims to submit a draft in mid-April on local law amendments, and the amended bill is expected to be passed by the end of May and voters registered by June, she said. Lam stressed earlier on Tuesday that the electoral system reform does not mean uniformity of candidates. Under the premise of “patriots governing Hong Kong” and upholding the Basic Law, people with different political views can still participate in the election.
Meanwhile, the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office on Tuesday voiced its firm support for the Hong Kong electoral reform plan, which was just approved by China’s top legislature, saying the reform will root out risks of “color revolutions” incited by external forces and their political proxies.
The Office noted that the amendments fixed loopholes and deficiencies in the current election system of the HKSAR, and systematically improved the methods for selecting the Chief Executive and the HK Legislative Council.
The electoral reform firmly guarantees that patriots govern Hong Kong, said the statement, adding that the reform can root out the risks of “color revolutions” incited by external forces and their political proxies, and help Hong Kong shake off the endless political disputes and growing pressures under radical forces.
Reacting to the adaptation of the HK electoral bills, Chinese FM Wang Yi said the new electoral system will help implement the principle of “patriots governing Hong Kong” and provide a solid institutional guarantee for the long-term peace and stability of Hong Kong, adding, the reform reflects the common will of all Chinese people.
Hong Kong electoral reform aims to support the development of democracy in Hong Kong in line with its constitutional order, which will better reflect a balanced participation of local residents in political life and take the interests of various sectors into account, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
The new electoral system will further improve the city’s political and social environment, the rule of law and business environment, and usher in an even brighter future for Hong Kong’s development, the spokesperson said.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN
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