Hong Kong electoral changes: members of powerful Election Committee must say if they or spouse hold BN(O) and other passports

New form requires candidates and members of 1,500-strong body at centre of Hong Kong elections to list travel documents, employment history

Move is necessary for process of reviewing someone’s eligibility to stand for election under new policy of only ‘patriots’ governing city, Carrie Lam says

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Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 11:52am, 13 Jul 2021Updated: 2:06pm, 8 Sep 2021

Existing members or anyone seeking to join the powerful committee that will vote Hong Kong’s next leader into office and approve candidates for legislative elections must declare if they or their spouses hold foreign passports, including British National (Overseas) status.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s confirmation on Tuesday of the new requirement for the freshly expanded 1,500-member Election Committee has triggered anxiety even among pro-establishment politicians, several of whom have questioned the need to involve their families.

Asked if the condition amounted to an invasion of privacy, Lam said it was necessary to support the work of the candidate eligibility review committee, which was created under Beijing’s drastic overhaul of the city’s electoral system to screen out “unpatriotic” hopefuls.

Reports of the new arrangement emerged earlier in the week after ex officio members of the Election Committee – including delegates to the national legislature and the country’s top political advisory body – were sent forms asking them to declare if they or their spouses held foreign national status.

The four-page document also requires them to state if they have a BN(O) passport or the right of abode in Taiwan, and any other travel documents, and to detail their job history over the past three years, including the nature of the work and employer information, according to those who received the form.

“This is to us an entirely new system,” Lam said, referring to the responsibilities of the new vetting committee. “We have taken a fresh look at how we can seriously implement this requirement in terms of reviewing the eligibility of candidates … including ex officio members.

“Somebody may feel that since they are ex officio, for example by virtue of their status as National People’s Congress or Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) members, it should be taken for granted they will fulfil the patriotic requirement.