China's State Council Information Office held a news conference in Beijing to brief the media on the decision to improve the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). China's top legislature adopted the decision on Thursday.
Executive Deputy Director Zhang Xiaoming and Deputy Director Deng Zhonghua of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and Deputy Director Zhang Yong of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the NPC answered questions from the media.
Here are the highlights:
-Loopholes in current system should be closed
-Current system needs improvement to prevent instability and external interference
-China has no tolerance for subversion
-City's governance needs to be strengthened based on developing situations
-Political instability not about democracy but caused by subversion
-Hong Kong needs proper governance to solve economic and social problems
-Electoral changes based on "patriots governing Hong Kong" principle
-Electoral improvement to safeguard, not alter "One Country, Two Systems"
-Central government's decision has broad support in Hong Kong
-Expansion of election committee to increase public representation
-Qualification review committee for legislative council to ensure "patriots governing Hong Kong"
-Electoral changes based on China's constitution
-Electoral changes in line with "One Country, Two Systems"
-Patriots defined as those who respect national and regional laws, security
-Central government not aiming for uniformity in Hong Kong politics
-New system aims to root out destabilizing forces
-Implementation of electoral improvements to begin immediately
-Expanded Election Committee to nominate Chief Executive and LegCo candidates
-Qualification review committee added for Legislative Council elections
-"Decision plus amendment" approach adopted to improve city's electoral system
-Subversive forces taking advantage of loopholes in current system
