Opinion | Hong Kong lawmakers seek ‘super patriot’ status as interest in election of NPC deputies grows

Legislative Council by-elections used to be a big deal, but now the election of deputies to the National People’s Congress garners much more interest

The political credentials of being trusted by Beijing to take part in national policy and affairs make it attractive to local political and business elite

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Tam Yiu-chung, Hong Kong’s sole delegate to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, is one of several members of Hong Kong’s NPC delegation not running for re-election. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 6:45am, 12 Dec 2022

There are two elections taking place in Hong Kong this week. One has received much more media coverage than the other, and that in itself is noteworthy.

Legislative Council by-elections used to be a big deal. But while campaigning is certainly under way for the scheduled polls on December 18 – we can tell by the banners hung on street railings – it does not seem to be arousing public interest.

On the other hand, what used to occur under the radar has attracted much more attention. The election of 36 deputies to the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s lawmaking body, is happening on Thursday, and it has piqued people’s interest.

It was not always like this, as the way business is conducted in Beijing, especially of the political kind, was unfamiliar and out of reach for most. It was one of the most intriguing features of “one country, two systems”. The NPC operated separately and differently from the city’s legislature.

It meets once a year in Beijing in the spring at the annual lianghui, or “two sessions”, opening soon after the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) meeting has convened. These meetings feature many work reports, rounds of applause, breakout group discussions, and very few surprises.

As the late president Jiang Zemin made clear, the well water and river water worked quite well separately from one another. It’s a completely different system, alien to many in Hong Kong.

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