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Letters | China can benefit from universal suffrage in Hong Kong by allowing the ‘silent majority’ to be counted
- Are the protesters on the streets part of the majority or a vocal minority? A free and fair general election would answer the question
- Elections give people a channel to express their opinions on the government and forces them to compromise with others
While we do not know whether the extradition bill was Beijing’s idea or the pure initiative of Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s administration, it is clear the government did not adequately consult all sectors of society. Underlying the anti-extradition protests then is a more fundamental issue: lack of political representation. The Hong Kong government must seriously consider granting universal suffrage, an objective that the Umbrella movement failed to realise five years ago.
The current electoral system for chief executive and legislators is neither representative nor fully democratic. The consequences of this can no longer be dismissed as people fill the streets, clamouring to be heard. The long-term solutions to the ongoing disruptive protests are either a more representative political system or tighter control by the pro-Beijing government. The latter is undesirable to most Hongkongers.
In a diverse society like Hong Kong, factions and different opinions are inevitable. The reconciliation of the interests of various social sectors is a major responsibility of the Hong Kong government, and universal suffrage is the only long-term solution that does not sacrifice Hong Kong’s autonomy and freedom.
Universal suffrage can benefit Beijing as well. Beijing has made “one person, one vote” meaningless by giving itself the sole prerogative of screening candidates for chief executive. While Beijing has many reasons not to grant Hong Kong real universal suffrage – the fear of separatist sentiment, reduced influence over the autonomous region, democracy contagion to the mainland – universal suffrage is a peaceful, political remedy for the disruptive protests caused by social discontent. It directs people on the streets to express their views through elections and forces them to compromise with others. Furthermore, universal suffrage could also benefit China’s international image in the long term, especially given its ambitious reunification plan for Taiwan.
Moreover, it is particularly hard to grasp the current social consensus regarding the extradition bill protests, making universal suffrage even more crucial. Organisers said 316,000 people turned up for a “Safeguard Hong Kong” pro-Beijing rally on July 20. In an editorial published last week, China Daily portrayed these counterprotesters as Hong Kong’s “silent majority” and praised them for standing up to defend their city against political radicals.
Hong Kong voter registration skyrockets
Hong Kong voter registration skyrockets
While China Daily is state-controlled, it does pose some very interesting questions: do most Hongkongers still sympathise and identify with the ongoing protests after the bill’s suspension and the emergence of violent protesters? Are the protesters currently on the streets part of the majority or just a vocal minority? If there is indeed a pro-Beijing “silent majority”, as China Daily says, then a general election would prove it.
Without solving the core issue of underrepresentation, Hong Kong is likely to become more volatile. Implementing universal suffrage will not be straightforward. Nevertheless, it is the constitutional duty of the Hong Kong government to do so under the Basic Law. As the demonstrations and clashes continue, Hongkongers are losing faith in their government, the police force, and most importantly, their future. As Carrie Lam herself admitted, “This incident lets me know I have to do better.” It is time to seriously consider universal suffrage and launch crucial reforms to restore our trust in the Hong Kong government.
Howard Yihao Shi, Shanghai
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