Top Beijing Official Says Hong Kong Should be Ruled by ‘Patriots’

The current speech of Beijing’s highest-level official answerable for Hong Kong affairs alerts that the Chinese language regime could also be planning on revising the town’s election legislation to assist pro-China candidates. Critics are involved that his transfer might rule out candidates from the pro-democracy camp, and that Beijing will go new election guidelines to tighten its grip over Hong Kong.

Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), delivered a speech on “patriots ruling Hong Kong” on Feb. 22, stating that Hong Kong must be ruled by “patriots,” based on mainland Chinese language media shops.

Xia described people who find themselves not patriots—those that are “anti-China and disrupt Hong Kong.” He mentioned unpatriotic people commit the next acts: “hysterically assault the central authorities by numerous means; publicly promote Hong Kong independence; beg international nations to stress and sanction China and Hong Kong; violate Hong Kong’s national security law, problem the elemental system of the nation; and refuse to just accept or intentionally distort Hong Kong’s constitutional order.”

Xia borrowed the time period “patriots governing Hong Kong” from former Chinese language chief Deng Xiaoping who put it out within the Nineteen Eighties with reference to the town’s “one nation, two methods” framework. Deng mentioned that patriots must be the principle physique to control Hong Kong—”Hong Kong individuals ruling Hong Kong.”

Based on Deng, “patriots” abide by three requirements: “respect one’s personal nation, sincerely assist the motherland to renew the train of sovereignty over Hong Kong, and never hurt Hong Kong.”

Xia’s standards for patriotism are stricter than Deng’s requirements, based on Radio Free Asia (RFA).

In his speech, Xia burdened that the election in Hong Kong ought to stop “anti-China people in Hong Kong” and “political brokers of worldwide anti-China forces from getting into Hong Kong’s political organs.” He additionally emphasised that “enhancing the electoral system should be carried out below Beijing’s management” and that Hong Kong “must not ever merely copy or apply international election methods.”

RFA additionally reported that Xia’s speech signifies that Beijing plans to vary Hong Kong’s election legislation as a way to eradicate the opportunity of a possible candidate from the pro-democracy camp to be elected earlier than the election of the Legislative Council in September and the election of the Chief Govt’s Election Committee in December this yr.

It’s anticipated that Beijing will formally suggest particular measures throughout the “Two Periods,” the principle annual political gathering of China’s political elite, which can begin on March 4, the report mentioned. China’s rubber-stamp legislature—the Nationwide Individuals’s Congress— and its advisory physique—the Chinese language Individuals’s Political Consultative Convention—will convene to enact insurance policies and agendas. Greater than 5,000 delegates from across the nation usually take part.

Based on pro-Beijing media HK01, a brand new Hong Kong electoral system would come with the institution of a “candidate patriot evaluation mechanism” to make sure that “all candidates are patriots.” In different phrases, candidates could be pre-screened to make sure that they’re pro-China.

Hong Kong politician Fergus Leung, a member of the Central and Western District Council, advised RFA that the democrats have a slim likelihood of collaborating in future elections.

A lady (middle L) makes use of her telephone whereas ready to vote throughout major elections in Hong Kong on July 12, 2020. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP through Getty Pictures)

RFA quoted Leung as saying, “They’ll give you extra causes to forestall these Hong Kong individuals who assist democracy and freedom from collaborating in politics. Subsequently, I believe that no matter whether or not there’s a Legislative Council election this yr, the possibilities of democratic camp to get in any election are very slim.”

Leung, together with different pro-democracy activists, former lawmakers, and politicians, have been arrested in January for his or her roles in a major election held by the pan-democracy camp forward of the Legislative Council (LegCo) elections in September final yr. The first election was organized by native political affiliation Energy for Democracy, with the intention of choosing essentially the most promising pro-democracy candidates to run for legislative workplace. Leung was one of many candidates. It was the most important mass arrest to this point for the reason that national security law went into impact on June 30, 2020. Leung was launched quickly after the arrest.

Leung advised RFA that he didn’t plan to run for legislative workplace as a result of he doesn’t have any religion in Hong Kong’s electoral system.