US blasts China for shaking-up Hong Kong electoral system, calls for transparency in polls

The United States on March 11 condemned China’s approval of sweeping changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system and accused Beijing of stifling the democracy in the financial capital. China’s national legislature has approved a resolution to drastically overpower Hong Kong’s electoral system in a bid to ensure that only “patriots” can rule the city. On Thursday afternoon, the National People’s Congress (NPC) passed the resolution which is also the biggest shake-up to Hong Kong’s electoral system reportedly since its return to China in 1997 under ‘One Country, Two Systems’ arrangements. 

However, expressing its criticism over China’s overhaul in Hong Kong, the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken called it a direct attack on the autonomy that was promised to the former British colony under the Sino-British Joint Declaration before its handover. In a statement on Thursday, Blinken noted that China’s sweeping changes will “deny” the Hong Kongers “a voice of their own.” Hence, The US Secretary of State urged Hong Kong to go ahead with the September elections which the city’s pro-China leader Carrie Lam has indicated will be delayed.

Blinken said in a statement, “These actions deny Hong Kongers a voice in their own governance by limiting political participation, reducing democratic representation, and stifling political debate.  Beijing’s actions also run counter to the Basic Law’s clear acknowledgment that Hong Kong elections should progress towards universal suffrage.”

“We call on the PRC and Hong Kong authorities to allow the September 2021 Legislative Council elections to proceed and ensure that all candidates are included in a transparent and credible manner,” he added after calling on China to “uphold its international obligations and commitments.”

Who will select Hong Kong’s leaders?

As per the South China Morning Post report, The members of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference which is the country’s top political advisory body will now be part of the Election Committee selecting Hong Kong’s leader next year. Owing to the sweeping changes, the Election Committee will be expanded to accommodate the additional 300 Beijing loyalists who will now become a fifth sector of the total expanded 1,500 member body. However, the remaining four groupings such as business, professional, social and political will continue to have 300 members each.