Democracy in Hong Kong: Beijing marks the end of "one country, two systems"
This overhaul of the electoral system in Hong Kong is one of the most important changes made to the Constitution of the Special Administrative Region since the handover of the former British colony to China in 1997. Anthony WALLACE AFP
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3 min
The plenary session of the National People's Congress in Beijing ended on March 11.
Unsurprisingly, delegates passed the law reforming the electoral code in Hong Kong with 2,895 votes in favor, and one abstention.
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With our correspondent in Beijing,
Stéphane Lagarde
The nearly 3,000 delegates remain seated, but applaud as one man the resolution which is displayed on the screens of the Great People's Palace and which has just been adopted.
This overhaul of the electoral system in Hong Kong is one of the most important changes to the Constitution of the Special Administrative Region since the handover of the former British colony to China in 1997. According to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, this decision would however be part of continuity.
"
Regarding this decision of the National People's Congress to approve the reform of the electoral code in Hong Kong, the objective could not be clearer: it is a question of improving the system by taking into account the principle of
" patriots administering Hong Kong, "
while continuing to follow the
" one country, two systems "model," he said.
A system that resembles that of Singapore
The resolution has nine articles and includes the expansion of the Hong Kong chief executive's selection committee to 1,500 members, including 300 Beijing worshipers.
The Legislative Council is also extended from 70 to 90 seats, with an audit committee eliminating candidates deemed non-patriotic, in other words opponents according to political analyst Wu Qiang.
"
This reform of the electoral system puts an end to the
'one country, two systems' model
in Hong Kong
," he laments.
It is a system similar to that of Singapore.
The principle of
"Hong Kong governing patriots"
allows dissidents to be excluded
".
Finally, the 117 seats on the electoral committee, elected by the predominantly pro-democracy district councilors, should be removed so as to further dilute the opposition.
► (Re) listen: Hong Kong: exile Ray Wong expects a mass exodus
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