The Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) decided in late March to amend Hong Kong’s Basic Law regarding the election system of the Chief Executive and Legislative Council to ensure that patriots rule Hong Kong, and that the Hong Kong government will legislate to prohibit public appeals to others not to vote, to cast blank votes or to cast invalid votes. According to a new public opinion survey, nearly 60% of the respondents oppose amending Hong Kong’s electoral system, while another 56% oppose legislating against public calls for others to cast blank votes. Some scholars analyzed that the survey also found that the supporters of the pro-establishment camp have divergent views on amending the electoral system. It is estimated that the turnout rate of the Legislative Council election to be held in December this year will be record low, and the percentage of those who cast blank or invalid votes is expected to increase significantly, reflecting public discontent with the system.
On March 30, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China passed unanimously a motion to amend Annexes I and II of the Hong Kong Basic Law, significantly amending the electoral systems of the Hong Kong Chief Executive and Legislative Council to ensure that patriots rule Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong government will legislate to prohibit incitement to not vote or cast a blank vote to invalidate the vote
In response to the National People’s Congress to amend the electoral system in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong government submitted to the Legislative Council on April 14 to amend the draft electoral system, the same day completed the first and second reading of the local legislative process, referred to the Bills Committee for consideration, is expected to be passed at the end of May in the Legislative Council Assembly for the third reading.
The most concern about this amendment to the election is the new Candidate Qualifications Committee, which is responsible for reviewing the eligibility of candidates for the Election Committee, the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council. The National Security Division of the police force may also make a judgment on whether a candidate meets the statutory requirements and conditions of upholding the Basic Law and pledging allegiance to the HKSAR, and some democrats are concerned whether they will be considered unpatriotic or even violate national security laws.
The Hong Kong government submitted to the Legislative Council over 500 pages of the “Improvement of Electoral System (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2021”. The most concerned amendment is the addition of a new offence to the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance, which prohibits inciting others not to vote or casting blank or invalid votes through public activities during the election, with a maximum penalty of 3 years’ imprisonment.
Poll says 59% oppose to the Hong Kong government’s revision of the electoral system
The public is concerned that after Beijing and the Hong Kong government revise the electoral system, the room for Hong Kong people to participate in elections and discuss politics will be significantly narrowed. The Hong Kong Institute of Public Opinion held a press conference on Friday (May 7) to announce the results of an online poll conducted from May 3 to 6 on the revision of Hong Kong’s electoral system.
The survey successfully interviewed 7,000 people, and showed that 59% of the respondents opposed the government’s upcoming changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system, 30% supported it, 7% said half-half, and 4% said they did not know and it was hard to tell.
According to political orientation, among the 6,268 self-proclaimed democratic supporters, 96% opposed the government’s forthcoming changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system, while only 4% supported it; among the 732 self-proclaimed non-democratic supporters, 39% opposed the government’s forthcoming changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system, 44% supported it, while 11% said half-half and 6% said they did not know, hard to say.
56% opposed to legislation to ban public appeals to cast blank ballots without voting
In response to the government’s intention to legislate to prohibit anyone from publicly calling on others not to vote, to cast blank or spoiled ballots, 56% of the respondents opposed, 34% supported, another 7% said half-half, while 3% said they did not know and it was hard to say.
In terms of political orientation, 91% of the 6,268 self-proclaimed pro-democracy supporters opposed the government’s plan to legislate to prohibit anyone from publicly calling on others not to vote, to cast a blank vote or to cast a spoiled vote, while only 4% supported, another 3% said half-half, and 2% said they did not know, hard to say.
Among the 732 self-proclaimed non-democratic supporters, 37% opposed the government’s intention to legislate to prohibit anyone from publicly calling on others not to vote, to cast blank or aborted votes, while only 51% supported, another 9% said half-half, and 3% said they did not know, hard to say.
Scholars say pro-establishment supporters are divided over revising the election system
The Hong Kong Baptist University Department of Political Science and International Relations Associate Professor Kenneth Chen analyzed at a press conference, the poll results show that 96% of the democratic supporters, opposed to the government’s upcoming changes to Hong Kong’s electoral system, reflecting that for the democratic supporters, is absolutely unacceptable, while non-democratic supporters also have close to 40% opposed to revise the electoral system, reflecting the establishment supporters of the revision of Hong Kong’s electoral system divergent views.
Chen Jialuo said: “The original is a game of the nature of the spoils, you think the exclusion of the democrats, with all the methods, close all the doors, all the gates, after cleaning up the portal, and then followed by the discovery of the problem came, that is, how to share the spoils, that is, has increased the bit (seats), if you talk about the Election Committee from 1,200 (seats) to 1,500 (seats), if you talk about the legislature from 70 (seats) to 1,500 (seats). If you talk about the legislature from 70 (seats) to 90 (seats), are more than a bit (seats), but the original more than a bit are not evenly divided, so out of the Tang Yingnian Soundbite (fine sentence), is the psychological imbalance, that is, the continental tide anger Han (tide of the Chamber of Commerce), the tide of the state gang psychological imbalance ah, but also said twice, and then the cultural sector (some dissatisfaction) is also very clear. “
Chen Jialuo said Lin Zheng TV talk about pushing the new election system is not convincing
Chen Jialuo said that the survey was conducted during the public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong, broadcast by the Chief Executive Carrie Lam personally hosted a special program “Election Committee sectoral grouping face to face”, inviting different sectors of the election committee one-on-one discussion.
Chan Ka-lok said that Carrie Lam tried her best to promote the new electoral system in the TV program, but pushed more and more new issues, which made people feel unfocused and unconvincing.
Chen Jialuo said: “First, there should be little attention to her (Lin Zheng Yuege), but she feels very responsible to do this thing (to promote the new election system), but it seems that she how to push are good, the more push more and more problems out, but not focused, but not persuasive, but is induced to different sectors to come with you to send complaints and groan (complaints) The education sector, that is, from the education sector to the business sector, or to, that is, everyone to ask you to take something, is already a very clear, naked in front of the airwaves, in front of the camera to ask, hey, our sector is not enough bit; hey, our sector to more resources; our sector (higher education sector) no more, the original is talking about the number (negotiation), spread out (openly speaking), this kind of from the top down The kind of major surgery on the system, not only the rape of public opinion, the will of Hong Kong people to fight for democracy a big slap, a suppression, even the original she was in the establishment inside the spoils game, can let us nakedly presented.”
Chan Ka-lok estimated the Legislative Council election turnout record low
Chan Ka-lok said that the poll results showed that 56% of respondents expressed opposition to the government’s intention to legislate to prohibit any person from publicly calling on others not to vote, to cast a blank vote or to cast a spoiled vote, he believes that reflecting the Legislative Council elections held in December this year, the turnout will certainly be very low, and may even be a record low of less than 40% turnout.
Chen Jialuo said: “turnout is bound to be very low, innovative low, especially in the 2019 District Council elections, there are 70% of the public is to vote, that is, eligible voters vote, the upcoming Legislative Council elections held in December, I think if you (turnout) over to 4 achievements 执到身彩 (should be grateful). “
Chen Jialuo said that after the revision of the electoral system, the addition of candidate eligibility review, the Legislative Council directly elected seats from the previous 35 seats, a significant reduction to only 20 seats, he estimated that the democratic supporters of the voting desire low, and may even cast white votes or invalid votes to express dissatisfaction, there may be white votes invalid votes more than half of the situation, reflecting public discontent with the revision of the electoral system.
Chen Jialuo said: “If you look at it this way, the supporters of the democratic camp may finally find that there is no more, to you and the round of elections, and the handpicked, and national security, and after the review, the remaining in fact that 20 seats (Legislative Council district direct election) only, 20 seats inside he (democratic supporters) feel no choice (election can not), so he is the choice not to vote, just as I said. may even vote, cast a blank vote or invalid vote, to express dissatisfaction.”
Academics say the poll reflects Hong Kong people’s dissatisfaction with the revised electoral system
Hong Kong Wollongong College of Social Sciences lecturer Huang Zhiwei said at a press conference, the revision of the electoral system has been a regression is seen by all, the Legislative Council from the previous 70 seats, half of the districts directly elected, half of the functional constituencies, and functional constituencies also have five seats in the Super District Council, by all the districts directly elected voters to participate in the vote, the overall 57% of the seats by all voters to participate in the vote, but after the revision of the electoral system, significantly However, after the revision of the election system, the number of seats in the Legislative Council has been significantly reduced to only 22%, with all voters participating in the voting.
Wong Chi-wai said that the authorities misjudged the situation and misinterpreted the issue of quality of governance as endangering national security, and he believes that the polls reflect that Hong Kong people are dissatisfied with the revision of the electoral system.
The government has misinterpreted the issue of quality of governance as a threat to national security, and has used national security as a pretext to revise the system, but it is clear that the figures just released by the Hong Kong Institute of Public Opinion have reflected the thinking of Hong Kong people. Even if we look at Ms. Carrie Lam and Ms. Liza Wang (TV) conversation above, talking about going to that sports, performing arts, cultural sector, they are for that election system amendments, that is, Ms. Liza Wang, who has been a deputy to the National People’s Congress, have expressed her dissatisfaction.”
One country, two systems to replace the content of the success of the great doubt
Huang Zhiwei said that the authorities in the election system many restrictions, so that Hong Kong people are easily discouraged, he believes that the authorities by all means still want to operate in Hong Kong elections, the main reason is that the signboard of one country, two systems can not fall, but the inner cage (content) to change, but whether it represents one country, two systems really successful, he has great doubts.
Huang Zhiwei said: “But you change the inner cage (content) after, is not on behalf of that one country, two systems really successful it, this I have great doubts, so become in the new era (Chinese President) Xi Jinping thought under the one country, two systems, is not really very obvious now is another matter, we will have to continue to see. “
Hong Kong Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Tsang Kwok-wai said he noticed that some people in the community are trying to organize incitement to others not to vote or cast blank ballots, which he described as an act to undermine the election and make the election credible, so the government should regulate, not the government has no confidence in the turnout.
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