China had proposed a version of open elections for Hong Kong's Chief Executive in the 2017 election. But somehow the Hong Kong legislators just could not manage to enact that motion.
Hong-Kong Protests
- Thread starter Pika
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Mr T
Senior Member
Yes, because it gave the CCP's allies control over who could stand in the election, as there was a maximum of 2 or 3 candidates and those candidates needed to be approved by at least half of the members of the nomination committee dominated by CCP-allies. It didn't matter if a prospective candidate could get 100,000 signatures or even a million signatures from the HK electorate to show that they weren't a joke candidate, that still wouldn't have overridden the committee's decision.
If HK got to choose between a pro-CCP establishment candidate, a pro-CCP establishment candidate and a pro-CCP establishment candidate with a bow-tie it wouldn't change anything.
The Chinese just want to have pro-China candidates, not necessarily pro-CCP candidates. Of course, traitors, separatists and people under foreign influence are not allowed to be nominated, especially when national security laws were not yet enacted in 2017.
1984 anyone? Lol freedom of speech on Australia at work.
@Peter2018
Why bother?
This is the quote that says it all! It implies no democracy for Hong Kong from Britain is because........ distance! Talk about apologies for colonial rule!
'Second, it's far easier for China to allow autonomy in HK - a city which is on its doorstep - than it is when theroretically governed by a country like the UK thousands of miles away'
Such a thinking existing it his head should be scary for those of us living in the real world.
Mr T
Senior Member
Yeah, but we're talking about local HK elections, not national elections. "Chinese" people living across the PRC don't get to decide. Do people living in Beijing get to decide who can be a candidate for the Mayor of Shanghai? No, they don't.
Also, for the CCP, pro-China is the same as pro-CCP. In their minds it's not possible to be pro-China yet a critic of CCP policy. For example, note Xu Zhangrun and Ren Zhiqiang. (Unless you want to say they're good Chinese people who have been unjustly treated.)
Uhuh, but by themselves those are vague terms.
You should have clear and unambiguous reasons to as to why someone cannot be nominated for office. For example, they're too young - you set a minimum age. Or past criminal behaviour - you could say a candidate could not have been convicted for treason, sent to jail for more than 12 months for a crime, etc. But to say something like you can't be under "foreign influence" is completely subjective. There's no way to assess that in an objective way, because it's a matter of personal opinion.
If what the CCP had wanted was normal in the vast majority of countries, I would understand. However, I'm struggling to think of democratic countries where in order to stand for election you first have to pass a nominating committee that is controlled by the ruling party.
Mr T
Senior Member
Indeed, they've been accused of it. But they've not been disqualified from running for office. That's important. In a free society people are going to criticise politicians. However, neither the Canadian government nor the Australian government has banned either legislator from standing for office.
THey're so democratic to the people they invaded and are invading.
Very free human right democratic freedum
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Yes , they are allowed to run for office to be killed Ok? Two of your president died while in office my friend. Remember the phrase " in office ".