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Published: 00:30, September 23, 2021 | Updated: 09:44, September 23, 2021
Expectations are high for HK's new electoral system
By Zhou Bajun
Published:00:30, September 23, 2021 Updated:09:44, September 23, 2021 By Zhou Bajun

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region elected on Sunday its new Election Committee in the first election held under the improved electoral system. Next, on Dec 19, will be the next Legislative Council election, followed by the chief executive election on March 27. The three crucial elections demonstrate the fundamental characteristics of the new electoral system — ensuring that “patriots administer Hong Kong”.

The Candidate Eligibility Review Committee, a new safeguard in the revamped electoral system, puts all Election Committee election nominees through tight scrutiny to qualify as candidates.

Since the revamped electoral system was written into law, Hong Kong society and the political circle in particular have been debating whether the Democratic Party should participate in the next LegCo election as it did in all previous ones. Some people hope the DP leadership will join the next race, or at least let its members join the race as individual candidates, so that the party remains relevant in Hong Kong and boosts political diversity and inclusiveness in the election.

Such views are politically childish, to say the least. It is unlikely that the DP will abandon its anti-central government, anti-Communist Party of China political standing now. And the new electoral system is designed to ensure “patriots administer Hong Kong” by all means necessary and does not need diversity for the sake of diversity.

Together they (the convener-in-chief and the five sector conveners) will be responsible for managing and coordinating Election Committee affairs as leaders in their own right. This new feature of the Election Committee is aimed at ensuring that all elected LegCo members but especially the next chief executive will live up to the expectations of the central authorities as well as Hong Kong society to the best of their abilities as staunch patriots

Political diversity and inclusiveness require political parties to share a common set of interests in politics and ideology recognized by society. This was proved true by the typical Western political system as it peaked and then began to decline in recent times. When party politics was doing relatively well in Western countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and other democracies, various political parties found themselves in agreement more than otherwise over a shared concept of national interests and how to pursue them. When unable to agree on such a shared concept and how to pursue them, the political parties invariably found themselves mired in endless bickering and even confrontation over anything or everything, with diversity and inclusiveness bursting like bubbles if not bombs. The best example of this phenomenon can be found in none other than the US, and in some other Western democracies to a lesser degree.

Since the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1997, because of the flawed electoral system, many anti-central government and anti-CPC political groups were able to win LegCo seats and undermine the normal operations of the government from within the establishment by using “democracy” as an excuse while ignoring the diversity and inclusiveness of their patriotic counterparts. During the yearlong “black revolution”, which ravaged Hong Kong with violence and criminal vandalism, the anti-government forces exhibited total disregard for the core values they claimed to uphold and advocated “mutual destruction” with Hong Kong society and the HKSAR government instead. Thanks to the National Security Law for Hong Kong and the decision to improve Hong Kong’s electoral system, both made by the National People’s Congress, the darkest days in the history of the HKSAR are behind us and must not be allowed to return ever again under the new electoral system, which is designed to prevent anti-China subversives from infiltrating the HKSAR’s governance structure.

The new Election Committee is tasked with vetting and approving all candidates of the next LegCo election and selecting 40 of the 90 lawmakers in December as well as returning the next chief executive in March. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said in a speech in July: “It is not easy at all to administer Hong Kong well, which is why Hong Kong administrators must be staunch patriots with matching morals and talents to live up to the expectations of the central authorities and Hong Kong society as well.” He put forward five requirements for Hong Kong administrators: be good at fully and accurately implementing “one country, two systems” as staunch patriots; be good at resolving challenges and problems facing the HKSAR as committed and capable patriots; be good at doing tangible service to the people as loving and caring patriots; be good at uniting people from all walks of life as inspired and inspiring patriots; and be fully committed to performing their jobs and responsibilities well as responsible patriots. These requirements apply to all LegCo members and the chief executive.

Therefore, it is a matter of course for the CERC to make sure all candidates in the upcoming LegCo and chief executive elections are staunch patriots. On the other hand, the Election Committee must do its best in vetting LegCo election candidates, selecting 40 of the legislators and electing the next chief executive on the premise that they can all meet or at least be close to meeting these five requirements. Under the new electoral system, there is a convener-in-chief for the whole Election Committee and a convener for each of the five sectors. The convener-in-chief will be a Hong Kong dignitary, holding a significant post with the central authorities, while the five sector conveners will be well-known and respected figures in Hong Kong. Together they will be responsible for managing and coordinating Election Committee affairs as leaders in their own right. This new feature of the Election Committee is aimed at ensuring that all elected LegCo members but especially the next chief executive will live up to the expectations of the central authorities as well as Hong Kong society to the best of their abilities as staunch patriots.

The author is a senior research fellow of China Everbright Holdings.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.  


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