‘Attack on Political Rights’: China Cracks Down on Hong Kong’s Electoral System – By Paul D. Shinkman (US News) / Mar 5 2021
‘Only patriots’ will be allowed to govern the former British colony, Beijing announced Friday morning on its latest attempt to crack down on pro-democracy movements.
CHINA ON FRIDAY announced planned changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system that will align its most powerful legislative bodies closer with Beijing, undermine the authority of its local government and ensure that “only patriots” govern the former British colony.
The news follows a series of grinding reforms China has forced upon the previously semi-autonomous city-state in recent months – sometimes violently – under the auspices of a so-called national security law that seeks to crush the pro-democracy movement there.
The move, scheduled to be enacted by March 11, comes as Beijing steps up its warnings to outside powers, namely in the West, not to interfere with what it considers its own.
“The reform adds the elements of democracy with Hong Kong characteristics and enhances the width and stability of Hong Kong’s democracy by enabling the power of governing Hong Kong to be only held in the hands of patriots,” Chinese state media wrote Friday morning. “This unprecedented political reform is also designed to prevent Hong Kong from descending into political infighting with its democracy and governance downgrading.”
