Hong Kong starts nomination of deputies to national legislature

Clear political air ensures presence in democratic structure

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Wednesday started nominating candidates as deputies to the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature, and the voting date was set on December 15.

According to the election method, 36 deputies will be elected by a 1,423-member electoral conference in Hong Kong. With the local political environment being much improved in the past three years, observers noted the people’s congress mechanism is expected to play a bigger role in the HKSAR’s democratic practices and the city’s NPC deputies will better represent Hong Kong in the national democratic structure.

The electoral conference held its first plenary session on Monday. A 19-member presidium including HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee and member of NPC Standing Committee Tam Yiu-chung was elected to preside over the conference.

Tam, 73, earlier announced he would not participate due to his age.

Tam said he expected a new generation of deputies who love the nation, understand the nation and have a sense of responsibility to be elected.

“I hope that they can act as bridges and help Hong Kong get better integrated into the nation’s development, facilitating the city’s residents to better understand national policies and solve their problems and difficulties,” Tam told the Global Times.

Yang Zhenwu, secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee who came to Hong Kong to preside over the election work, said at Monday’s plenary session that efforts should be made to ensure that patriotic deputies, who represent the public and have strong abilities to participate in and deliberate on state affairs, can be elected.

Fan Peng, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the implementation of national security law for Hong Kong and the electoral reform in the HKSAR have greatly improved the political atmosphere in Hong Kong, so that the One Country, Two Systems policy can develop on the right track.

The cleared political environment allows the SAR’s political practices and national political practices to be bridged and operate in a positive manner, so that Hong Kong residents can be represented in the nation’s democracy and participate in national politics smoothly, Fan said.