HK’s new electoral system is a good one: Xi Jinping

President Xi Jinping on Wednesday praised Chief Executive Carrie Lam for helping to push forward Hong Kong’s democratic development in accordance to the SAR’s actual situation.

During the CE’s annual duty visit to Beijing, President Xi noted the Election Committee and Legislative Council polls were successfully held in Hong Kong in recent months.

Xi told Lam during the brief moments the meeting was open to the press that after the two elections, “Hong Kong compatriots can exercise their democratic rights which enable them to be their own masters; the principle of ‘patriots administering Hong Kong’ has been implemented; and the arrangement of allowing different sectors of society extensive and balanced participation has been established.

“The new electoral system conforms with the principle of One Country, Two Systems and the actual situation of Hong Kong; it provides systemic support to ensure the smooth operation of One Country, Two Systems and the SAR’s long-term stability.

“It’s a good system.”

Xi said the central government fully affirms the work of Lam in the past year, offering praise in a number of areas.

The president said not only did Hong Kong return to normalcy from chaos, the situation was also heading towards the right direction, noting that the epidemic situation in Hong Kong is under control.

The SAR government amended laws on the electoral system in accordance to changes by the national legislature and firmly implemented the national security law, while taking measures to integrate Hong Kong into the country’s development, Xi added.

In response, Lam said she’s grateful for the president’s affirmation of the SAR government’s work.

She said she’s glad to be able to thank the president in person as this was the last time she’d delivered a work report in her current term.

“President Xi Jinping has left no doubt that Beijing is satisfied with the new order,” China analyst Willy Lam said, adding that state leaders “want to send a signal to the Western world that Beijing considers the recent restructuring of the Hong Kong political system, including the new electoral system… they are successful and that Beijing will continue with its current policy.”

Willy Lam also said Beijing has not decided yet whether the chief executive would receive a second five-year term.

“The two major state leaders, plus other officials with responsibility for Hong Kong, have kept mum on the issue of the possible re-election of Mrs Carrie Lam,” he said.

“I think they still have a couple of months to make their final decisions, but there are reasons to believe that Mrs Lam should be quite happy about the repeated endorsement of both her work and that of her administration.”
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Last updated: 2021-12-22 HKT 19:15

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