With the political landscape in Hong Kong getting more complex in recent years, election-related disturbances and social unrest have increased, posing a growing threat not only to the Hong Kong SAR’s governance but also China’s national security. The illegal “35-plus primary”, planned and organized by the political radicals, dubbed the “mutual destruction camp”, last summer, was openly aimed at vetoing the SAR government’s annual budget and other key bills by winning a majority in the now postponed 2020 Legislative Council Election, with the ultimate objective of paralyzing and subverting the SAR government. It was meant to be an extension of the “black revolution”, or “color revolution” Hong Kong edition, disguised as a democratic poll. It was in essence part of a conspiracy to seize the governing power of the HKSAR through an illegal and rigged election.
No country in this world will allow anyone to run for public office on a campaign platform seeking to paralyze the local government and destroy social stability, let alone seizing the governing power by illegal means. It is a known fact that all Hong Kong elections sanctioned by the Basic Law and Hong Kong law must follow the principle of “patriots governing Hong Kong and no separatist or criminally inclined allowed to run for public office”, as has been repeatedly emphasized by the late Chinese state leader Deng Xiaoping, who is the chief architect of “one country, two systems”. To do so, Hong Kong needs institutionalized safeguards to ensure all elections proceed according to the Basic Law, relevant Hong Kong law and the above-mentioned principle, giving subversive and separatist forces no chance of infiltrating the SAR establishment ever again. The governing power of the HKSAR must always rest in the hands of genuine patriots.
The “mutual destruction camp” completely betrayed the principles of fair and clean elections while posing a grave threat to Hong Kong’s constitutional order
Elected officials, including members of the Legislative Council and District Councils, are representatives of the voting public and therefore must be committed to serving the public interest and Hong Kong’s healthy development. However, radical opposition lawmakers over the years have invariably abused their power by routinely filibustering important government bills crucial to the well-being of Hong Kong residents as well as socioeconomic development. Worse, some of them became leading figures of the “mutual destruction camp” and played significant roles in the “black revolution” of 2019, which began as an anti-extradition law amendment bill movement but soon turned into a months-long illegal and violent campaign to promote Hong Kong independence or “self-determination” through street riots and violent attacks on government offices including courts, as well as people who don’t agree with them. In November 2019 they won the majority of seats in nearly all district council elections by switching candidates around and an all-out smear campaign against opposing candidates. Since taking control of those district councils they have done nothing but spread hatred and fan confrontation among people of different political standings in a bid to further divide Hong Kong society and undermine the stability of the HKSAR.
As far as the credibility of elections is concerned, they must be free of outside intervention, political manipulation and vote-buying tricks, so that all voters can make their own decisions without coercion. With an “evil genius” that is Benny Tai Yiu-ting calling the shots, the “mutual destruction camp” has implemented several election-manipulation schemes in recent years, such as “Project ThunderGo”, “Project Storm” and “35-plus primary”, to win elections by vote appropriation labeled as “internal coordination of locked-in votes” and/or “public referendum” to mislead if not hijack popular will. During the 2019 District Council elections, they openly used violence to intimidate pro-establishment candidates and their supporters to win more DC seats than the opposing side in violation of democratic principles and fair election rules.
Even more outrageous is that the “mutual destruction camp” has received generous support from external forces hostile to China all along. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued an official statement congratulating the “mutual destruction camp” for the success of the “35-plus primary”, which was an illegal farce through and through. He also promised the Trump administration would continue “monitoring closely” all elections in Hong Kong in response to pleas by leading “mutual destruction” advocates for foreign or external intervention in Hong Kong affairs. Members of the “mutual destruction camp” have been collaborating with anti-China external forces and received training disguised as “academic exchange” in addition to funding from their foreign patrons for years. It is safe to say external interference happened by way of “support” for opposition parties in multiple elections over the years.
By colluding with external forces in manipulating elections in Hong Kong, the “mutual destruction camp” completely betrayed the principles of fair and clean elections while posing a grave threat to Hong Kong’s constitutional order. The HKSAR has no choice but to seek ways to straighten up its electoral system by plugging all the loopholes that may allow the “mutual destruction camp” to use elections as a means to subvert the constitutional order of the SAR. To prevent them from succeeding, we must ensure “patriots governing Hong Kong” and all elected public office holders are devoted to serving the public interest unconditionally.
The author is a current affairs commentator.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.