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Hong Kong election reforms: overhaul could damage perception of city’s political system and cause public backlash, warns top government adviser
- Executive Council Ronny Tong member cautions that move meant to ensure stability could end up hurting city
- Tong also says overhaul could hit city’s ability to attract next generation of political talent
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Beijing’s election overhaul for Hong Kong was meant to ensure stability but a reduction of popularly elected seats in the legislature could cause a backlash on public opinion and international perception of the city’s political system, a top government adviser has warned.
Ronny Tong Ka-wah, a member of the Executive Council, city leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s de facto cabinet, also raised concerns over difficulties in “attracting talent” to join the new 1,500-member election committee given participants could be labelled as supporters of the Chinese Communist Party.
He also told the opposition camp to rethink their position, saying there was “no shame” in being a patriot and running for election.
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“This is not a political reform, and it should not be tied up with democratic development in discussions,” Tong told a radio programme on Saturday. “Only under a safe and stable system we would have the luxury to talk about democratic developments.”
Beijing’s proposals, endorsed by the National People’s Congress last week, to drastically change the city’s electoral system included plans to give more power and expand the Election Committee to add 300 Beijing loyalists.
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The committee, which selects the chief executive every five years, will expand membership from 1,200 to 1,500.
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