Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, on Tuesday, said that electoral reform is necessary. She gave her support to Mainland's proposal that could exclude opposition voices and further Beijing's control over the semi-autonomous Chinese city's politics.
Lam in extending her support towards the electoral changes, applauded the courage and determination of the officials to make things right. She also said, she believes the recent declaration that ‘patriots’ must run city will not affect the role of foreigners working in the judiciary.
Lam dismissed suggestions the Beijing initiated the changes because her administration failed to create the favourable conditions necessary to do it themselves. Lam's comments come a day after a top Beijing official indicated that major changes in the electoral system are in the works. The official said that the revision would ensure that key positions are held only by “patriots”.
A call for these changes is a sign that China will no longer tolerate dissenting voices, 23 after the British handed over their former colony to Chinese rule. The handover was done by the British with a promise that the semi-autonomous city would enjoy its rights and freedoms for 50 years.
Beijing, in an attempt to toughen its crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, imposed the national security law, under which several protesters and activists who took part in protests in 2019 were arrested under charges of dissent and subverting state powers. Authorities also removed members of the city's Legislative Council who it seemed insufficiently loyal to. Several veteran leaders are being tried on charges of organising the democracy protests.
The electoral changes are expected to be discussed at next month's meeting of the National People's Congress and possibly passed at the time too.
China, is also likely to close loopholes in the election for members of the Legislative Council, now entirely dominated by pro-Beijing legislators
