One of the analysts told CNBC on Monday that the central government of China may be prepared to ignore international outcry over the contradiction against Hong Kong.
Last week, media outlets, including Reuters and South China Morning Post, reported that Beijing could consider changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system that could restrict pro-democracy politicians and prevent them from running in local elections.
The reports come when Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong State and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council of China, said in a Mandarin language statement that Hong Kong should be run by people who do not violate national security law or the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, according to a CNBC translation.
Xia said one of the reasons Hong Kong saw an anti-China movement was because the city’s key institutions were not fully aided by patriots. One way to ensure that only those who are most loyal to China govern Hong Kong is by improving the city’s electoral system by closing appropriate legal loopholes.
This photo taken on December 19, 2017, shows the Chinese (above) and Hong Kong flags hoisted in Hong Kong.
Anthony Wallace | AFP | Getty Images
John Marrett, senior analyst at risk consultant The Economist Intelligence Unit, said Beijing had already taken several steps to stem the opposition in Hong Kong.
“It is noteworthy that they are going much further with the proposal of these election reforms, the details of which we have yet to see,” he told CNBC’s Street Signs Asia on Monday.
“But it does say something about their fear of a later revival of political instability, social unrest in the city, and it does express their lack of concern about international shouts over Hong Kong more,” he added.
Hong Kong is a former British colony that returned to the Chinese government in 1997. The city is governed by a ‘one country, two systems’ principle which gives it greater autonomy than other mainland Chinese cities, including limited electoral rights.
The Hong Kong government has banned at least 12 pro-democracy candidates from running in the city’s legislative election – which has been postponed for one year until September 2021. The government cites the pandemic as the reason for the delay.
In addition, four opposition lawmakers were fired from the Hong Kong Legislative Council in November last year – leading to others resigning in protest, Reuters reported.