The Chinese government has formalized the reform of Hong Kong’s electoral system. Following the enforcement of the National Security Law last year, Hong Kong’s pan-democratic camp is expected to narrow its position even further.
This is correspondent Song Wook from Beijing.
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The annual meeting of the National People’s Congress, which is the parliament of China, has opened.
Vice-Chairman Wang Cheon explained a resolution to reform the Hong Kong election system, one of the agendas of the meeting, and pointed out that there are loopholes in the current election system.
[왕천/중국 전국인민대표대회 부위원장 : (선거제도의 허점은) 홍콩을 어지럽히는 반중국 세력이 홍콩의 관리권을 탈취할 기회를 제공하였습니다.]
Although the details of the reorganization were not disclosed, it said it would revise the annex to the Hong Kong Framework Act, which stipulates the constitution of a legislative assembly of electors and the Hong Kong legislature to elect the Hong Kong executive.
Hong Kong media reported that the presidency’s electoral corps and legislative meetings would lose their share of council members and increase their share of pro-China powers.
It is also expected that a committee will be set up where high-ranking officials will screen candidates for elections.
In Hong Kong, the pan-democracy camp won overwhelming victory in the 2019 district council elections as a result of democratization protests.
Then China has pushed forward with a proposal to reform the election system, saying,’Patriots should rule Hong Kong.’
If the electoral system is changed following the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Act last year, China’s influence on Hong Kong is expected to increase and the position of the pan-democratic camp is expected to narrow.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Li Keqiang presented China’s economic growth target for this year as ‘6% or more’ in the NPC business report.
The level is lower than the market’s expectations, but it is analyzed that strategies such as qualitative growth, domestic demand expansion, and technology independence are reflected amid US checks.