Tung Chee-hwa, a vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and the very first Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said in a recent public speech that different electoral systems exist around the world and “the ultimate test of worthiness for any electoral system is whether it brings prosperity and happiness to the people.” That is why a universally-effective model of democracy does not exist in this world and Hong Kong must adopt one that suits its own unique conditions and serves the sovereignty, national security and development interest of the country, ensures the consistent and continuous exercise of “one country, two systems” and helps enhance Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability as well as governance and administration. 

In fact, there has never been and never will be a one-size-fits-all model of democracy in this world. Western countries such as the US and UK, or Asian countries like Japan and India, all have their own democratic systems different from one another, because they all want a democratic system that suits their own unique national conditions

Illegal political campaigns such as “Occupy Central”, “the black revolution” and “35-plus primary” taught us a series of lessons on the urgent need to improve Hong Kong’s electoral system, the flaws of which were used by anti-China troublemaking forces to advocate “Hong Kong independence” and violence in the name of “true democracy” in their bid to seize the governing power of the HKSAR by all means. It has been abused by political radicals who had not only taken Hong Kong’s economic development and people’s well-being hostage but also contributed to the criminal enterprise of derailing “one country, two systems” and predatory politics. It can never give Hong Kong society fairness, justice, progress or prosperity, but only push it into the abyss of eternal suffering instead. Since Hong Kong cannot fix this problem by itself, the central authorities took it upon themselves to improve Hong Kong’s electoral system through a national legislative decision, so as to help the HKSAR replace social unrest with order and prosperity.

To improve Hong Kong’s electoral system, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) amended Annexes I and II of the Basic Law of the HKSAR. The amendments include the establishment of an election candidate qualification vetting committee, which will serve as a safeguard to ensure the “patriots governing Hong Kong” principle is institutionalized and specified, so that the administrative power of the SAR is always held firmly in the hands of true patriots. The amendments also facilitate broad and proportionate representation to serve the interest of all sectors concerned and help advance the healthy development of Hong Kong’s economy as well as long-term prosperity and stability.

The overhaul of the Legislative Council Election system, on the other hand, shows the amendments are designed to replace disruptive democracy with benign competition and restore positive functions of the LegCo by correcting past mistakes. The NPC decision to improve Hong Kong’s electoral system and ensure the “patriots governing Hong Kong” principle is heeded effectively is no doubt a positive response to an urgent demand of Hong Kong society.

That is why the great majority of local residents welcome and support it wholeheartedly. As usual, the anti-China, destabilizing forces in and outside Hong Kong have launched a smear campaign, accusing the decision to improve Hong Kong’s electoral system of “backtracking on democracy” and “squeezing the pan-democrats’ room to run in elections.” In response to such groundless accusations, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor pointed out the improved electoral system is designed to realize “patriots governing Hong Kong”; while the election committee will make sure all nominees are real patriots rather than members of certain political parties or adherents to certain political standings.

Anyone who wishes to stand in LegCo elections will only have to prove they are real patriots and have never done anything detrimental to the national interest, such as colluding with foreign governments in harming national security. They also need to prove their allegiance to the HKSAR of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) with a strong desire to serve Hong Kong residents as best they can, with a matching philosophy to boot. The improved electoral system will shut all radical elementsw of the opposition camp out of LegCo elections and effectively give more room for moderate pan-democrats to run for LegCo seats. As a result, the future LegCo will be able to serve the best interests of Hong Kong society as a whole better than before and facilitate socio-economic development.

In fact, there has never been and never will be a one-size-fits-all model of democracy in this world. Western countries such as the US and UK, or Asian countries like Japan and India, all have their own democratic systems different from one another, because they all want a democratic system that suits their own unique national conditions. 19th century French political theorist Alexis-Charles-Henri Clerel de Tocqueville (1805-1859) was famous for his critical observations of the US as a country and democratic society in his two-volume book Democracy in America. In the book he heaped praises on the democratic system in the US and described it as “having reached the highest level of development a modern democratic entity could attain at that time.” That book was later touted as “one of the most important works on modern democracy”.

That said, he was also well aware that the success of American democracy relied very much on catering exclusively to the country’s unique socio-economic conditions, rule of law and geographical features, hence his advice to his countrymen: “France cannot simply copy America’s democratic model.” He also cited Mexico as a lesson in blindly copying the American model only to fail spectacularly in endless political turmoil.

The best way to find out if a pair of shoes fits is to wear it. Human history is littered with costly lessons in blind faith that Hong Kong must not repeat when it comes to choosing the democratic system that suits its own unique conditions. The worth of Hong Kong’s democratic system lies in dedication to upholding the sovereignty, national security and development interests of the nation as well as enhancing Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability by ensuring the consistent and continuous exercise of “one country, two systems” by fully enforcing the precept of “patriots governing Hong Kong.” 

The author is a current affairs commentator.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.