New | Majority decisions by 2017 nominating committee would be ‘suppression of democracy’
Pan-democrats hit back at comments made by top Beijing official Li Fei about how the nominating committee should work, as Shenzhen meetings conclude
A pan-democrat lawmaker has hit back at a top Beijing official who said that the nominating committee in 2017 should make majority decisions on putting forward candidates, calling the idea a “suppression” of democracy.
Dennis Kwok of the Civic Party said the comments by Li Fei, chairman of the Basic Law Committee, suggested that hopefuls for the chief executive election will be required to get the backing of half of the nominating committee to enter the race.
That would impose an unreasonable restriction on potential candidates, as well as meaning the committee would be overstepping its role, which is to put forward a shortlist of candidates and not to hold an internal election itself, Kwok said.
Li Fei made the comments at a seminar in Shenzhen attended by 48 of Hong Kong’s 70 lawmakers, which pan-democrats say has failed to narrow differences between the pro-democracy camp and Beijing.
The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress – the top national legislature – meets next week to lay down a framework for the 2017 election.
Pan-democrats fear that a nominating committee stacked with Beijing loyalists will screen out potential candidates that the central government does not approve of, undermining the value of the 2017 election.