China’s top legislative body to weigh overhaul of Hong Kong political system next week
- Agenda for meeting of National People’s Congress Standing Committee led by proposals to amend annexes 1 and 2 of the Basic Law, state media says
- National legislature passed resolution earlier this month paving the way for shake-up to ensure only ‘patriots’ hold key positions of political power.
The apex body of the national Chinese legislature is set to endorse the drastic shake-up of Hong Kong’s electoral system in a two-day meeting starting next Monday.
“[The meeting] is an important and practical measure to exercise the relevant legislative powers granted by the NPC,” Zang Tiewei, spokesman for the standing committee’s Legislative Affairs Commission, told the state-run Xinhua news agency.
“The amendments pose great significance for upholding and improving the ‘one country, two systems’ … improving Hong Kong’s electoral system, promoting the development of a democratic political system suitable for Hong Kong’s actual situation … and safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests.”
Without providing more details, Tam Yiu-chung, the city’s sole delegate to the standing committee, confirmed the dates and agenda of the meeting. Whether the resolution was passed next week would depend on the progress of the talks, he said.