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Hong Kong electoral changesi

Delegates to the 2021 "two sessions", China's annual parliamentary meetings, voted on a resolution on Hong Kong electoral reform to overhaul the city's electoral system. The changes include slashing the number of directly elected seats and ensuring more pro-Beijing representation in the city’s legislature, creating a powerful new post to head a more influential Election Committee, and setting up a vetting body comprising principal officials to screen out candidates deemed to be unpatriotic.

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Over the past two years, there have been more signs that Hong Kong’s political elite are driving an increasing mainlandisation, chipping away at the city’s distinctive status and advantages.

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The dos and don’ts for district councillors help show that they are more than just patriots supporting the government and that they can make a difference in people’s lives.

  • Only 267 of 470 councillors have set up offices, according to Home and Youth Affairs Bureau
  • Some councillors point to high rental prices as biggest challenge, especially in constituencies located in commercial districts or private housing estates

Xia Baolong, director of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, also joined city leader John Lee for dim sum breakfast to discuss municipal-level administration.

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Authorities offer breakdown of promotion drive for first ‘patriots-only’ district council poll last month, which drew record-low turnout, but stop short of revealing total price tag.

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Councillors’ performance will affect people’s confidence in electoral system overhauled at the behest of the central government, observers say.

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City’s largest pro-establishment parties, DAB and FTU, take lion’s share of seats and votes in first municipal-level poll since overhaul of district councils earlier this year.

Beijing and its local offices offer congratulations to winning candidates, say vote important in implementing the principle of ‘patriots governing Hong Kong’.

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Political leaders Regina Ip, Stanley Ng and Priscilla Leung hit out at glitch that prompted extension of voting hours, with John Lee vowing investigation into failure.

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Hong Kong on election day splits into two camps, with one eager to vote out of civic duty and others giving polling stations wide berth over lack of political diversity.

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Voters based in mainland China welcome polling stations set up near border and bus trips to ensure they can join first district election since municipal bodies’ overhaul.

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Sixteen defendants will receive verdict in March 2024 at the earliest to find out whether their involvement in primary constitutes ‘grand strategy of subversion’.

Readers discuss the reasons the district council election still matters, improving the formula for deciding on bus frequencies, the lack of trolleys at check-in counters, and the continuing Gaza war.