Poll puzzler: will a new election rule aimed at containing Hong Kong localists backfire?
A form requiring Legco candidates to recognise the city as an inalienable part of China or risk disqualification has sown confusion and led to accusations of unfair treatment
Barely 48 hours before the two-week nomination period for the Legislative Council elections began on July 16, the Electoral Affairs Commission unveiled a surprise.
It required all potential candidates to jump through an additional hoop of signing an extra form declaring Hong Kong an inalienable part of China – or risk disqualification.
But as events unfolded over the next two weeks, the new rule has proven to be a stumbling block rather than a neat solution to containing the growing momentum of calls for Hong Kong independence. Along the way, one immediate casualty hamstrung by the hoop is the government’s reputation.
A person close to the government insisted the introduction of the form, on top of making the standard declaration to uphold the Basic Law, was not even discussed at meetings of the Executive Council as the move did not involve any new government policy and legislation. Exco, the city’s main policymaking body, has been on a four-week break since July 12.
A mainland Chinese official handling Hong Kong affairs told the Post that disallowing those who advocated Hong Kong independence from running in the elections was “a principle which can’t be compromised”.