Bernard Chan Says Overhaul Drags HK Back to 1997

Hong Kong's election reforms have not achieved their purpose

 

After days of pro-establishment politicians praising the National People's Congress for revamping Hong Kong's electoral system to "plug loopholes", one local delegate has spoken out to tell it like it really is.

Bernard Chan, Executive Council convenor and NPC deputy, conceded the changes have wiped out the city's democratic development since 1997.

Chan says Hong Kong is going backwards

"It's a pity that we today have probably gone back to where we were in the early days after the handover. [We] can see that the direction seems to be like that," Chan said from Beijing, where he is attending the annual session of China's legislature.

Wow. So refreshing.

However, he added the electoral reforms over the years have failed to achieve their intended purpose.

True that.

Chan also said if Beijing does not have confidence in the political situation in Hong Kong, then the "one country, two systems" principle might be abandoned.

Hasn't it been abandoned already? 

"I think we have to get back and start afresh, to develop a new road. And this road would give confidence to the central government and the country of 1.4 billion people that "One country, two systems" could carry on. Only this way could we have more space."

Legco will see 20 more pro-Beijing seats added

The "new road" means the proposed overhaul of Hong Kong's electoral system which dilutes the make up of the Legislative Council even more to be more pro-establishment, and completely shuts out any kind of opposition who are not "patriotic", and only then Beijing will trust us?

There continues to be a huge cultural gap that no one has gently pointed out to Beijing that needs to be bridged. Trust and respect for the central government is harder to gain from Hongkongers now after the past year of mass arrests, the imposition of the national security law, and now changes to the electoral system. 

When asked for his interpretation of Beijing's insistence that only "patriots" can govern Hong Kong, Chan took this to mean that those holding office must accept the Chinese Constitution and Hong Kong's Basic Law, and while they have to respect that the Communist Party rules China, they don't have to love the party.

After changes are made, Beijing will at ease

Really? Others have interpreted it to mean loving the CPC... or did Chan not get the memo?

In any event it's curious that Chan has openly said how many Hongkongers feel.

Will he be reprimanded for this? Time will tell.