HKSAR Casts First Vote Following Changes to Its Electoral System

The 2021 Election Committee’s subsector ordinary elections in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) took place on September 19. These were the first elections held following the improvements to HKSAR’s electoral system on March 11, when a decision to enhance this specific HKSAR system was adopted by an overwhelming majority vote at the Fourth Session of the 13th National People’s Congress in Beijing.

Since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland in 1997, the collusion between anti-China forces from Western countries and “Hong Kong independence” advocates has led to repeated outbursts of violence, severely undermining local social stability. Moreover, several “independence” advocates entered the local authorities by exploiting loopholes in the region’s electoral system. Taking advantage of their positions, they not only supported unrest in Hong Kong but also actively engaged in the planning of “Hong Kong independence,” jeopardizing China’s territorial sovereignty and security. In this context, the Central Government had to take swift action to improve the HKSAR electoral system and, in doing so, plug the holes.

The success of this latest electoral round demonstrates how the new system has won the support from Hong Kong residents, who went out to cast their votes and have their voices heard. Consequently, this election lays the foundation for Hong Kong’s future social stability and good governance. What’s more, the implementation of the “patriots administering Hong Kong” principle will undoubtedly bring new development to the region.

While anti-China forces and “Hong Kong independence” advocates rejoiced at the sight of the various protests unfolding throughout 2019 and 2020, ordinary residents ultimately fell victim to the riots and demanded that the Central Government and the HKSAR Government step in and correct the situation. The principle of patriots administering Hong Kong is the precondition for stability and prosperity in Hong Kong, in turn the prevailing highlight of the new electoral system.

As a matter of fact, it is the world’s basic political principle that political power must be in the hands of patriots. In Western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, all public staff is required to uphold the notion of patriotism. Accordingly, the principle of patriots administering Hong Kong conforms to a predominant basic political principle and practice worldwide.

From the very start of candidate nominations on August 6, a strict qualification review was brought into play. Anyone who had previously breached this principle would be barred from nomination—only one such case occurred.

The election committee will be responsible for the election of 40 seats out of the 90 seats in the upcoming Legislative Council appointments on December 19 and the election of the region’s chief executive, the highest office of HKSAR, in March 2022. By implementing the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong,” these two elections are expected to block “Hong Kong independence” advocates from obtaining positions in local public authority, so that Hong Kong will have higher governance efficiency and will be able to focus on economic growth, subsequently solving its long-existing, deep-rooted social issues.

The September elections also showcased the broad representation of the committee, epitomizing the impartiality and openness of the HKSAR electoral system. The four subsectors of the election committee have now grown to five, covering business, finance, grassroots labor, etc. Membership, too, has been increased, from 1,200 to 1,500. The five subsectors are further divided into 40 divisions so that people from all walks of life are represented. Small and medium-sized enterprises, grassroots communities and Hong Kong people living on the Chinese mainland, too, will have their own committee representatives.

The orderly progress of the 2021 Election Committee’s subsector ordinary elections is evidence that life has returned to normal in HKSAR. It further marks a good opportunity for Hong Kong to shave off the negative political influence accumulated for so many years and dedicate itself to the creation of more economic miracles.