China’s leaders plan to limit the influence of Hong Kong opposition groups to an institution that elects the city’s top official, who will take the seats away from pro – democracy politicians and hand them over to pro – Beijing loyalists, according to People. who is familiar with the proposal.
At an annual legislative session in March, Chinese lawmakers are expected to vote on the proposed changes to the composition of a 1,200-member committee that elects Hong Kong’s chief executive, the people said.
The revisions would drastically reduce, or possibly eliminate, the 117 seats allocated to Hong Kong’s district councilors, a bloc now dominated by opposition groups. These seats would be given to some of the more than 200 members of Hong Kong living in Hong Kong, the Chinese Political Advisory Body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the people said.
The plan is part of comprehensive changes proposed by Beijing’s Hong Kong head of affairs, Xia Baolong, in a speech Monday in which he said the executive, the legislature and the Hong Kong judiciary ‘true patriots’ ‘must exist. In his first public speech after appointing him to office in early 2020, Mr. Xia anyone who opposes the governments of China or Hong Kong, “destroyers” who can not exert influence in the future.
Mr. Xia did not amend any proposed elections, but people familiar with the plans said the legislation was completed before the opening of the National People’s Congress, China’s legislature, on March 5. Carrie Lam, CEO, with a low public approval rating, did not say whether she plans to serve a second term of five years next year.