Highlights of Xia Baolong’s speech

How to judge patriots:

1. Patriots are bound to sincerely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. Not engaging in activities that endanger national security is the minimum standard.

2. Patriots respect and uphold the fundamental system of the State and the constitutional order of the special administrative region.

3. Patriots do their utmost to maintain the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

The implementation of “patriots governing Hong Kong” requires the improvement of the electoral system, and the following principles must be adhered to:

1. Act in strict accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law. The electoral system should fully respect the democratic rights of the public, the high degree of autonomy and fair and open elections, while safeguarding the sovereignty, security and development interests of the State, ensuring the overall power of the central government and preventing anti-China separatists and foreign anti-China forces from entering the governance of the special administrative region.

2. The leading role of the central authorities must be respected. The electoral system is an important part of the political system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and its improvement must be carried out under the leading role of the central authorities.

3. It must be in line with the actual situation in Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s electoral system must not simply copy or adapt foreign electoral systems.

4. Hong Kong’s executive-led system must be implemented. Hong Kong runs an executive-led system with the chief executive as the core. The chief executive occupies a leading and central position in the SAR’s governance structure.

5. Sound institutional safeguards must be in place. Relevant institutional systems and effective measures must be put forward to ensure that members of the SAR’s executive, legislative and judicial bodies, as well as the heads of important statutory bodies, are genuine patriots. Under no circumstances should important posts be occupied by anti-China people.