The Hong Kong government on Wednesday ruled out any further attempt at democratic reform as the government moves ahead with plans to criminaliz
The Hong Kong government on Wednesday ruled out any further attempt at democratic reform as the government moves ahead with plans to criminalize ‘insults’ to the national anthem of the People’s Republic of China.
Patrick Nip, the city’s top official in charge of constitutional affairs and liaison with the ruling Chinese Communist Party government in Beijing, said Hong Kong is “in no position” to restart democratic reforms, saying that doing so could be “rash” and lead to “extreme action.”
Nip, who was responding to a question from pro-democracy lawmaker James To about the likelihood of a democratically elected chief executive for the city in 2022, didn’t specify what he meant by “extreme action.”
He said an Aug. 31,2014 decree by China’s parliament insisting that election candidates be screened by Beijing was a fundamental condition for any reform.
“If we are to restart constitutional reform, or further promote its development, this is a starting point,” Nip said of the National People’s Congress standing committee legal interpretation that sparked the 79-day 2014 Occupy Central civil disobedience movement for fully democratic elections.
“If we cannot even reach a consensus on this fundamental legal basis, I don’t see how we are in a position to further our reform proposal,” he said.
