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Hong Kong Leader Says ‘Mainstream’ Opposes Democracy Activists’ Key Proposal Hong Kong Leader Says ‘Mainstream’ Opposes Direct Nominations
(about 4 hours later)
HONG KONG — Presenting a major report on revamping the electoral system, Hong Kong’s top leader, Leung Chun-ying, said on Tuesday that “mainstream opinion” in the city opposed a key proposal of many pro-democracy groups: that voters win the power to directly nominate candidates for his job.HONG KONG — Presenting a major report on revamping the electoral system, Hong Kong’s top leader, Leung Chun-ying, said on Tuesday that “mainstream opinion” in the city opposed a key proposal of many pro-democracy groups: that voters win the power to directly nominate candidates for his job.
The dismissal of the idea, while not surprising, brought the city closer to fresh confrontation over its political future, experts said.The dismissal of the idea, while not surprising, brought the city closer to fresh confrontation over its political future, experts said.
The report from Mr. Leung, Hong Kong’s chief executive, to China’s national legislature, along with an accompanying document, summed up proposals from politicians, residents and organizations about how the chief executive should be elected starting in 2017, when the Chinese government has said that the city’s 3.5 million registered voters can receive universal suffrage. Mr. Leung noted that the debate over the electoral system had been contentious, and he held back from offering any definitive proposals, but he said Hong Kong was ripe for change. The report from Mr. Leung, Hong Kong’s chief executive, to China’s national legislature, along with an accompanying document, summed up proposals from politicians, residents and organizations about how the chief executive should be elected starting in 2017, when the Chinese government has said the city’s 3.5 million registered voters can receive universal suffrage. Mr. Leung noted that the debate over the electoral system had been contentious, and he held back from offering any definitive proposals, but he said Hong Kong was ripe for change.
Mr. Leung, however, also said that “mainstream opinion” in Hong Kong stood with him and the Chinese government in opposing as illegal changes that could override a nominating committee as the final arbiter of who may run for chief executive.Mr. Leung, however, also said that “mainstream opinion” in Hong Kong stood with him and the Chinese government in opposing as illegal changes that could override a nominating committee as the final arbiter of who may run for chief executive.
“Such power of nomination must not be undermined or bypassed directly or indirectly,” Mr. Leung said in the report to the Standing Committee of the Chinese legislature, the National People’s Congress. The prevailing public view in Hong Kong supports the opinion that only the nominating committee “has a substantive power to nominate,” he said.“Such power of nomination must not be undermined or bypassed directly or indirectly,” Mr. Leung said in the report to the Standing Committee of the Chinese legislature, the National People’s Congress. The prevailing public view in Hong Kong supports the opinion that only the nominating committee “has a substantive power to nominate,” he said.
That conclusion angered pro-democracy groups and politicians, who have said that the universal suffrage promised by Beijing could be fatally undercut by procedural hurdles. They have said that the Chinese government could ensure that a committee dominated by loyalists, based on one that now appoints the chief executive, acts as gatekeeper for candidates, thus engineering outcomes favored by Beijing. That conclusion angered pro-democracy groups and politicians, who have said that the universal suffrage promised by Beijing could be fatally undercut by procedural hurdles. They have saidthe Chinese government could ensure that a committee dominated by loyalists, based on one that now appoints the chief executive, acts as gatekeeper for candidates, thus engineering outcomes favored by Beijing.
“The report today confirmed all the worries,” said Emily Lau, a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council and chairwoman of the Democratic Party, which supports demands for popular nomination of candidates for chief executive.“The report today confirmed all the worries,” said Emily Lau, a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council and chairwoman of the Democratic Party, which supports demands for popular nomination of candidates for chief executive.
“The ball is in Beijing’s court. for my party, the trigger is when they rule out a genuine universal suffrage,” she said. “Hong Kong’s a very tense city. The confrontations, contradictions are sharp.” “The ball is in Beijing’s court,” she said. “For my party, the trigger is when they rule out a genuine universal suffrage. Hong Kong’s a very tense city. The confrontations, contradictions are sharp.”
Hong Kong’s chief executive is currently chosen by an elite committee with some 1,200 members. Many are appointees approved by Beijing or elected by narrow bands of Hong Kong voters from the trade, financial and business world that favor accommodation with Beijing. Pro-democracy groups want a thoroughly representative committee, and many also support giving voters nominating rights that could override the committee, through write-ins or party nominations. Hong Kong’s chief executive is currently chosen by an elite committee with 1,200 members. Many are appointees approved by Beijing or elected by narrow bands of Hong Kong voters from the trade, financial and business world that favor accommodation with Beijing. Pro-democracy groups want a thoroughly representative committee, and many also support giving voters nominating rights that could override the committee, through write-ins or party nominations.
Although the two reports were not conclusive, their wording suggested the authorities would introduce limited changes to the election committee and nomination rules for chief executive, said Danny Gittings, an associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong. Although the two reports were not conclusive, their wording suggested that the authorities would introduce limited changes to the election committee and nomination rules for chief executive, said Danny Gittings, an associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong.
“The composition of the election committee itself will probably change slightly in the direction of being more democratic,” he said. “They’re not in favor of a radical overhaul.” Joseph Yu-shek Cheng, a political science professor, said, “We are worried that this may allow the Chinese authorities to control the entire list of candidates for the chief executive elections.”
Professor Cheng, who is also a leading member of the Alliance for True Democracy, a group that supports broad public participation in elections, including direct nominations, added: “This obviously means maintenance of what ordinary Hong Kong people call a small-circle election. We cannot accept this.”
The issue of how to elect Hong Kong’s chief executive has been the focus of months of campaigning by pro-democracy groups, exposing widening rifts between the pro-Beijing establishment and residents who fear that growing mainland influence is eroding the city’s traditions of free speech and judicial independence, which they say were guaranteed as part of an agreement before Britain returned the territory to China in 1997.The issue of how to elect Hong Kong’s chief executive has been the focus of months of campaigning by pro-democracy groups, exposing widening rifts between the pro-Beijing establishment and residents who fear that growing mainland influence is eroding the city’s traditions of free speech and judicial independence, which they say were guaranteed as part of an agreement before Britain returned the territory to China in 1997.
The main pro-democracy umbrella group, Occupy Central With Love and Peace, has said it will hold sit-in protests in the city’s main financial district, Central, if the proposed electoral changes authorized by Beijing fail to live up to international standards. Benny Tai, a founder of Occupy Central, said he expected the Chinese government to give its proposals in August.The main pro-democracy umbrella group, Occupy Central With Love and Peace, has said it will hold sit-in protests in the city’s main financial district, Central, if the proposed electoral changes authorized by Beijing fail to live up to international standards. Benny Tai, a founder of Occupy Central, said he expected the Chinese government to give its proposals in August.
In June, Occupy Central organized an unofficial referendum that invited Hong Kong residents to choose between three proposals for overhauling the system, each of which allowed voters to nominate candidates for the chief executive. The exercise attracted votes from 787,000 Hong Kong residents, a number equal to more than one-tenth of the city’s population and more than one-fifth of its registered voters. An annual protest march on July 1 by democratic groups and opposition organizations drew more than 500,000 people, according to the organizers, although the police estimate indicated a much lower turnout.In June, Occupy Central organized an unofficial referendum that invited Hong Kong residents to choose between three proposals for overhauling the system, each of which allowed voters to nominate candidates for the chief executive. The exercise attracted votes from 787,000 Hong Kong residents, a number equal to more than one-tenth of the city’s population and more than one-fifth of its registered voters. An annual protest march on July 1 by democratic groups and opposition organizations drew more than 500,000 people, according to the organizers, although the police estimate indicated a much lower turnout.
Now the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress must decide what package of electoral changes to offer Hong Kong. That package will be followed by more public consultations in Hong Kong.Now the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress must decide what package of electoral changes to offer Hong Kong. That package will be followed by more public consultations in Hong Kong.
“The Standing Committee decision will almost certainly say that the nominating committee is the only method of nomination, and rule out civil nomination,” Mr. Gittings said. “But they really want to leave it to the Standing Committee to say that.” “We are not optimistic, certainly, with the final outcome,” said Professor Cheng. “We are still willing to talk, but we are also making preparations for nonviolent civil disobedience actions when it is made clear that there will be no genuinely democratic electoral system.”