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Hong Kong reforms prevent 'dictatorship of the majority', pro-Beijing lawmaker says

Published 03/06/2021, 06:01 AM
Updated 03/06/2021, 09:15 AM
© Reuters. Pro-democracy protesters hold signs during a march under Hong Kong flags outside the Legislative Council building in Hong Kong, China

© Reuters. Pro-democracy protesters hold signs during a march under Hong Kong flags outside the Legislative Council building in Hong Kong, China

By Yew Lun Tian

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's proposal for Hong Kong electoral reforms could prevent a "dictatorship of the majority", pro-Beijing Hong Kong lawmaker Martin Liao told Reuters on Saturday.

The Chinese parliament is discussing plans to overhaul Hong Kong's electoral system to ensure Beijing loyalists are in charge. Hong Kong representatives, in Beijing for an annual session, say the change is necessary and desirable.

"Many people in Hong Kong are politically immature," Liao, who sits on both Hong Kong's and China's legislature, said in a telephone interview.

"They think 'one man one vote' is the best thing, and they take advice from countries that don't even have 'one man one vote'," Liao said, referring to how neither the U.S. President nor the British Prime Minister is elected by a popular vote.

The proposed changes, which include expanding the city's Election Committee from 1,200 to 1,500 people and expanding the city's Legislative Council from 70 to 90 seats, will make Hong Kong's electoral system more "representative", and less prone to "dictatorship of the majority", Liao added.

Critics say that Beijing would be able to stack the two bodies with even more pro-establishment members, to gain the numerical superiority needed to influence important decisions such as the election of the city's Chief Executive, leaving Hong Kong voters with less direct say in who they want to lead them.

People from new industries and services, such as information technology, telecommunications and healthcare, should be brought in as additional members of Hong Kong's electoral collage, said Maria Tam, a senior Hong Kong politician who works with China's parliament on matters relating to Hong Kong's mini-constitution.

People who can help Hong Kong's youth take advantage of China's economic development, such as through the national Five Year Plan and plan for the Greater Bay Area, should also be included, she told Reuters by telephone.

Tam dismissed concerns that the reforms, aimed at ensuring "patriots govern Hong Kong" will crimp the space for opposition.

"I don't think it is just going to be unicolor," she said.

"Anybody who can draw the line between themselves and those who act against the interests of China and Hong Kong would have no problem whatsoever running for election, and winning," she said.

© Reuters. Pro-democracy protesters hold signs during a march under Hong Kong flags outside the Legislative Council building in Hong Kong, China

Tam Yiu-chung, the only Hong Kong representative in China's top lawmaking body, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said separately: "If you are not a patriot, it's going to be hard for you to get in."

Latest comments

We don't really care. Those people are just tools at our disposal to make China look bad.
Amusing.
Just go watch on YouTube, their CCP central committee, is transparent... thousands of their leaders meet, no shouting, no fighting, they all have pen and papers ready to take notes, they talks goals and take orders, this is true governance at work....
there's a reason for that. if you have a dissenting argument from the majority, you disappear. Disagreement is important, it causes your views as well as theirs to evolve or at least be refined
I don't think so.... give us an example of someone disappearing, and don't get the report from Adrian Zenz or some ***report like that...
I told you guys... the world needs to study and learn how China governs. They have the latest greatest way to govern... tell me which country focuses on getting rid of poverty, no drugs, no homelessness, mega cities and projects, education, etc... these people are real problem solvers. They are solving Hong Kong at the speed of light....
"Dictatorship of the majority" now that's some word gymnastics right there.
Joseph I think you are confusing Majority Rule with Self Governance. Liberty comes with necessary risks in order to have just representation in government. Majority Rule literally is tyranny of the majority. 51% determines law for all, including the 49% minority without representation.
Do you even think about the stuff you spew?
Democracy is about everyone getting an equal say. Our founding fathers did not form a democracy because it is unworkable. Thus, we have what was hoped would be a democratic republic. Why? because if 6 people want to play a game on the only field in existence, 5 want kickball and one want football, you go with the majority. Why? Because in real life 5 disgruntled people will hold up the use of the field a lot longer than one. There is no such thing as fair to all, so majority tyranny is better than the only other 'real' option- minority tyranny!!!!
Sounds a lot like the USA's democrat party's election reform.
Democracy in China. Give me a break. Communist is dictatorship by party and they workship their leaders like god....Look at home and building, see pictures of their leaders hung on the walls.Do not be fooled by communist.
Should we be surprised the Reuters MSM propaganda arm is spinning China's action in a positive way?
I think China did the right thing here. This is correct...
It's consistent...right and wrong are arbitrary in China. "Right" is whatever the party says it is...
Nobody is buying it China.
Have you look at the stats? China is still the world's factory.... China will remain the world's factory for decades to come.... they spent trillions and trillions building up the infrastructure so 100% no one can match China on the large scale of productions...
Why have rule by majority, when rule by the minority, the very few-or what the ********rule by the one is so much better.
There are more than two options for government. Equal representation for all cultures and ideologies, as closely as can be achieved, is what good governance looks like. Not unlimited power by majority rule
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