Editor’s note: This is Part 2 of a series on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s upcoming elections.
Contrary to the critics’ “concerns” that democratic elements could be compromised by a sharp reduction in the electorate of the revamped Election Committee and competition for seats on the committee, the new Election Committee has become much more balanced and more broadly representative of its constituencies, and thus will better serve the overall interest of Hong Kong society.
Many nominees in the 2021 Election Committee Subsector Ordinary Elections agree that more EC seats for grassroots civic associations will make the HKSAR government more aware of the expectations of the great masses on matters concerning their well-being the most, especially affordable housing, poverty alleviation, quality education and employment opportunities
Under the revamped election system, the Election Committee has been expanded from 1,200 to 1,500 members with more subsectors and an optimized method of selecting the chief executive and 40 members of the Legislative Council, thus promising broader representativeness of the electorate as well as more evenly distributed participation by people from all walks of life in the process.
Newly added EC members include those representing small and medium-sized enterprises, grassroots civic groups and associations, mainland regional descendant societies, representatives of Hong Kong residents on the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong deputies to national organizations, and a new subsector for technology and innovation professionals. The expanded EC now boasts a broader coverage of the city’s social spectrum, which will no doubt help a great deal to achieve equality and social justice through public participation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s political affairs.
For example, there are now more EC members representing grassroots civic groups and mainland regional descendant societies than before, a change for the better for the voices of grassroots communities to be heard in selecting key public officeholders. Many nominees in the 2021 Election Committee Subsector Ordinary Elections agree that more EC seats for grassroots civic associations will make the HKSAR government more aware of the expectations of the great masses on matters concerning their well-being the most, especially affordable housing, poverty alleviation, quality education and employment opportunities.
Those seeking approval of the EC for their bid for the Chief Executive’s Office and Legislative Council seats must convince the electorate that they are worthy, which is much more difficult to do than before. The expanded EC offers the technology and innovation industry considerable representation. Of the newly added seats, 15 will be nominated by Hong Kong academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Some candidates in the upcoming EC elections have expressed a strong desire to represent the inno-tech community in the all-important EC, so that the future CE will always keep in mind the crucial role that the inno-tech industry plays in Hong Kong’s long-term development and the future of the younger generation in terms of higher education and employment. This is but one fresh aspect of the reconstituted EC that proves the improved electoral system’s many merits compared with its previous version, not the least a better institution reflecting popular wishes for social justice and equality in the political decision-making process that will give Hong Kong society new hope moving forward after ending the terrible political unrest in 2019 that was no fault of its own.
In open and fair elections, the best way to win is always a policy platform that appeals to as broad a cross section of the voting public as possible to begin with. In the 2021 EC election, seats for the business, construction and surveyors and education subsectors are sought after by professionals raring to speak out for their respective communities under the improved electoral system. They are determined to let future election candidates know what the professional communities can contribute to Hong Kong’s socioeconomic development with their knowledge and skills as well as the desire to help integrate the city’s development into the overall development strategy of the country. As EC members, they will show the world, from their own communities’ perspectives, what really matters in democratic elections, without smear campaigns, character assassination or pretentious drama, because all those dirty tricks do is give democracy a bad name and drive many eligible voters away from polling stations.
Thanks to the enactment of the National Security Law for the HKSAR more than a year ago, Hong Kong has successfully replaced social unrest with public order and resumed effective and steady rule of law — allowing the city to focus on controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and achieving the speedy recovery of the economy and normal life. The step that followed has been the improvement of the electoral system to ensure “patriots administering Hong Kong”, so that the city can effectively prevent anti-China subversives hired by external hostile forces to undermine the country’s sovereignty, national security and development interest by corrupting Hong Kong’s governance structure from within. With the improved electoral system written into law and ready, it is time to put it to the test in the upcoming three crucial elections. The central government is not only watching the progress of political development in Hong Kong but also making sure it follows the Basic Law and relevant Hong Kong laws faithfully and consistently. Xia Baolong, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council of the Central People’s Government, spelled out not long ago five basic requirements for future administrators of the HKSAR. In addition to living up to the legally binding oath they take upon assuming office, they must be staunch patriots who are good at identifying and resolving deep-rooted structural problems of Hong Kong society that hinder its healthy development, taking effective measures that benefit people in tangible ways and uniting local society for working toward a better future. All this require absolute dedication and commitment to their political (constitutional) responsibilities as elected officials or lawmakers. And it is up to the new EC to select the right candidates who are willing to and can live up to the expectations of both the central authorities and Hong Kong society.
The author is a current affairs commentator.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.