Despite recent mass pro-democracy protests, Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (梁振英) yesterday called for limited electoral change in the territory, saying in a report to China that voters want a “patriotic” chief executive.
Discontent has flared in the semi-autonomous territory over what is seen as increasing interference by Beijing, notably its insistence that it vet candidates before the next leadership election in 2017.
In the report submitted to China’s National People’s Congress (NPCSC), or parliament, Leung said that “there is a need to amend the method for selecting the CE [chief executive] in 2017 in order to attain the aim of universal suffrage.”
Photo: Reuters
Leung said universal suffrage in the 2017 poll “will be an important milestone of the democratic development of Hong Kong’s political system, with significant real impact and historic meaning.”
Currently, the leader is chosen by a 1,200-strong pro-Beijing committee. China says voters can elect the next chief executive, but candidates must be picked by a nominating committee, raising fears among democracy advocates that only pro-Beijing figures will be allowed.
Saying he was citing findings of an official public consultation period on reform, Leung’s report said “mainstream opinion” was that a nominating committee should choose candidates, in line with the city’s mini-constitution, known as the Basic Law.
Reflecting another Chinese stipulation, he added that “the community generally agrees that the CE should be a person who ‘loves the Country and loves Hong Kong.’”
He later told a news conference that the difficulties in forging a local consensus were not to be underestimated, but said: “Hong Kong people are rational and pragmatic.”
“What is important is that if the international standards do not comply with the Basic Law and the decisions of the NPCSC we have to follow the Basic Law and the NPCSC decision,” he said.
Pro-democracy activists are pushing for the public to select candidates, which China has ruled out.
The Occupy Central group and its allies have said that they will take over the territory’s Central District if public nomination is refused.
An informal poll organized by Occupy last month saw almost 800,000 choose from three options, all of which included public nomination of candidates, while a a pro-democracy march on July 1 attracted tens of thousands.
Pro-democracy lawmaker Frederick Fung (馮檢基) said he felt “angry” about the report, which he said “does not fully reflect the yearnings of the Hong Kong people.”
Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau (劉慧卿) told reporters: “Our fear is that if Beijing is misled by inaccurate information, then they may make some very wrong decisions,” while activist Johnson Yeung (楊政賢) said the government had “ignored the huge consensus of Hong Kong people and ... selectively listened to opinions from the pro-government groups.”
Leung insisted that the report reflected a variety of views.
He admitted there were divergent opinions on how the next leader should be elected, including “considerable views” that civil nomination should be included, but added that “professional bodies of the legal sector and other members of the public” had said that would not be in line with the Basic Law.
Leung’s report has been sent to the NPCSC’s Standing Committee, which meets next month and must approve any reforms.
There were angry scenes at the Hong Kong Legislative Council yesterday when the government’s second-in-command, Hong Kong Chief Secretary of Administration Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥), announced the findings of the public consultation, which polled more than 120,000 individuals and groups.
Lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung (梁國雄) threw an inflatable hammer and a birdcage with the words “civil nomination” written in Chinese inside it at Lam.
Fellow legislator Albert Chan (陳偉業) ripped up a copy of the report, shouting “Fake report, fake consultation,” as he was removed.
Outside, a handful of pro-democracy protesters were out-numbered by hundreds of elderly activists from pro-Beijing groups, many waving red Chinese national flags.
The submission of Leung Chun-ying’s report is the first in a five-step process on electoral reform.
“The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress has final say on whether to revise the election methods of Hong Kong SAR’s [special administrative region] chief executive in 2017 and its Legislative Council in 2016,” the Xinhua news agency’s Web site cited the Chinese parliament as saying yesterday after receiving the report.
CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT: A new committee would investigate a backlog of US weapons sales to Taiwan, said its chairman, US Representative Mike Gallagher The US should formally recognize Taiwan as an independent nation, and end its outdated and counterproductive “one China” policy, US Representative Tom Tiffany and 18 other US lawmakers wrote in a petition. “It is time to change the status quo and recognize the reality denied by the US government for decades: Taiwan is an independent nation,” Tiffany told the Epoch Times. “As our long-standing and valued partner, correctly acknowledging their independence from communist China is long overdue.” The resolution also asks the administration of US President Joe Biden to support Taiwan’s membership in international organizations and to negotiate a bilateral free-trade
The Pentagon is preparing for US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy to visit Taiwan later this year, Punchbowl News reported on Monday, citing an official directly involved in the talks. US administration officials anticipate McCarthy would visit Taiwan some time in the spring, the report said. McCarthy had previously pledged to visit Taiwan if he became House speaker. He was elected speaker earlier this month. He had also said that he would have liked to join then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s delegation when she visited Taiwan in August last year. Pelosi’s 19-hour visit to Taipei marked the first time in 25 years
Taiwan’s Chou Chieh-yu (周婕妤) was crowned the Kamui WPA Women’s World 9-Ball Champion after shutting out British pool titan Allison Fisher 9-0 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the organizers said on Sunday. Following the championship win at Harrah’s Resort and Casino Atlantic City, Chou pocketed US$30,000 and became the first female competitor to hold both the 9-ball and 10-ball world titles since Briton Kelly Fisher in 2012. Chou, 36, won the Predator World Women’s 10-Ball Championship in Austria in September last year after clinching a silver medal at last year’s World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, in July. “I’m very excited and it’s like
JOINT OPERATIONS: Participating in the IMET program, which offers professional training and education to military personnel, would boost Taiwan’s defense capabilities The US government is appropriating funding to help Taiwan participate in its International Military Education & Training (IMET) program to enhance interoperability and capabilities for joint operations of the Taiwanse and US militaries. The funding for Taiwan’s participation in the program is mentioned in the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023, a US$1.7 trillion spending bill funding the US federal government for the fiscal year 2023. It covers funding for military support for Ukraine, defense spending and regions affected by natural disasters. The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) told the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) that IMET is an important US
RSS