Tam Yiu-chung: govt may act on Xi’s patriotism call

Hong Kong’s sole delegate to the nation’s top legislative body says the central and SAR governments will consider what actions to take after President Xi Jinping remarked that only “patriots” could properly govern Hong Kong.

Xi made the remarks during a virtual “duty visit” by Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Wednesday, telling her that only keeping patriots in charge would allow the SAR to maintain stability and prosperity, while safeguarding the practice of ‘One Country, Two Systems’.

Tam Yiu-chung, who sits on the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, said Xi had set out only general principles and it was for local and central governments to decide how to implement them.

He said it wasn’t clear whether there was a need to prevent people who hold British National (Overseas) passports from holding public office.

Political commentator Chung Kim-wah says Xi’s remarks shouldn’t come as a surprise – given that it’s clear that Beijing wants complete control of next year’s Chief Executive selection, and of the situation in Hong Kong generally.

But Chung says he doesn’t think this means that the almost 400 pro-democracy district councillors will face dismissal from office.

“I don’t think they would disqualify all DC members, because that would too far-reaching and would arouse a lot of condemnation or criticism by the international community,” Chung said.

“But they are trying to kick some people out to ensure that the Election Committee for the election of the CE in the coming year will be fully under control.”

The government is moving to force councillors to take an oath of office to the SAR amid speculation that it will be used to force a series of expulsions.