HK official calls criticism of electoral reform ‘unfair’
Hong Kong’s justice chief said on Friday that the international community does not condone United States’ sanctions or unilateral measures aimed at pressurizing others to change their systems in order to suit US political views.
Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah told China Daily that Washington’s repeated sanctions were not recognized by international law, as sanctions should be made by the United Nations and not by individual countries.
Cheng’s remarks came after the US recently announced sanctions on
24 officials of the central and Hong Kong governments for their involvement in an overhaul of Hong Kong’s electoral system. The improvements, brought forward by the National People’s Congress — the nation’s top legislature — seek to change the formation and selection of Hong Kong’s lawmakers and the committee that elects the city’s chief executive.
Following the decision approved by the NPC on March 11, some Western countries reacted with censure and accusations.
Cheng, a veteran dispute resolution expert, underlined that some of the foreign reactions to the decision have contravened the international principle of nonintervention, which is based on the principle of equality between different countries.
She said no other country is in a position to dictate the decisions of the NPC, as it is entirely within China’s sovereignty to establish and design a system best suited to Hong Kong, as enshrined in the Constitution of China and the Hong Kong Basic Law.
The misunderstandings from the West were reminiscent of those on the National Security Law for Hong Kong, which was enacted on June 30.
She added that the “unfair and biased criticism” of Hong Kong’s National Security Law and the election-related proposals have also completely ignored Hong Kong’s actual situation and historical background. These measures by the central government are necessary in light of Hong Kong’s repeated political and social upheavals since 2003, which exposed weaknesses in the local political system.
Those countries criticizing Hong Kong’s affairs should review their own national security legislation and electoral systems to realize that there are a wide range of electoral systems in the world, each tailored to local situations, Cheng said. Some national security laws are more severe than those of Hong Kong, which criminalizes perpetrators of only four national security-endangering acts.
Similarly, just like time has proved that the security law has restored stability and order to the city, it will eventually be proved that the improved electoral system will bring rationality and good governance back to the city’s legislature as lawmakers discuss livelihood-related issues.
The electoral reform is “a very positive step forward”, Cheng said. “We will be able to elect people of quality and with different views to the Legislative Council. (The policies and legislation) will be scrutinized objectively and with the view to pursue the interests of Hong Kong and China as a whole. The improvements will bring about balanced and orderly political participation.”