China NPC closes today… Hong Kong election law likely to be enforced

After Prime Minister Li Keqiang closes, it seems likely to explain the legitimacy of reorganization of the Hong Kong election system
The 14th Five-Year Plan and the draft of a long-term development strategy for 2035 were also resolved.

[아시아경제 베이징=조영신 특파원] China’s largest political event, Yanghoe (National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Meeting), voted on the amendment of the Hong Kong Election Law on the 11th and finally closed the resolution of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Western camps, including the United States, oppose the amendment of the Hong Kong election law, but the Chinese leadership plans to enforce a vote.

The National People’s Congress of China (Non-in University) held the 13th 4th general meeting at the People’s Congress of Beijing at 3 pm (local time) on the same day and closed after voting for a draft’Resolution on Completion of the Hong Kong Election System’.

The NPC Sojo (special committee) deliberated on amendments to the Hong Kong Election Law on the 5th. The possibility of some revisions to the original draft cannot be ruled out, but it is expected that the Hong Kong election law will be revised as originally intended. This amendment aims to establish a high-level committee to screen candidates for elections, exclude the share of council members (117 seats) among the electoral corps that elect Hong Kong executive ministers, and expand the range of legislative representatives. The NPC passed the draft of the Hong Kong National Security Law last year with an overwhelming margin of 2878 votes in favor (one opposite).

Prime Minister Li Keqiang is expected to emphasize the legitimacy of the reorganization of the Hong Kong electoral system and his determination to maintain the one-country two system system through a press conference after the closing of the NPC.

However, due to the deliberation of the NPC Standing Committee, it will take at least six months for the Hong Kong revised election law to take effect. In general, a bill passed by the NPC goes into effect at least three times by the NPC Standing Committee. The NPC Standing Committee is held every two months. Hong Kong was scheduled to hold a legislative election on September 6 last year, but it was postponed for one year due to concerns about the spread of Corona 19.

Regarding the amendment of the Hong Kong Election Law, Chinese media Pung Pai reported that 80% of the respondents answered that’patriots should rule Hong Kong’, and 70% of the respondents supported the central government’s amendment of the Hong Kong Election Law. He said he did.

On the other hand, the NPC will also vote on the 14th Five-Year Plan and a draft long-term development strategy for 2035. Prime Minister Lee presented a blueprint for the Chinese economy in the future, including a target for an economic growth rate of 6% or more this year in the NPC business report held on the 5th.

Beijing = Correspondent Cho Young-shin [email protected]