Hong Kong passes Beijing-backed electoral changes critics say delay full democracy

Hong Kong passes Beijing-backed election changes

HONG KONG — Hong Kong legislators passed the first part of a Beijing-backed package of electoral changes Thursday that critics say will delay full democracy in this former British colony.

The package has been billed by the government as reform because it expands the committee that selects Hong Kong’s chief executive and adds elected representatives to the 60-member legislature, which is half chosen by professional and business sectors loyal to Beijing.

The lawmakers approved expanding Hong Kong’s 800-member leader selection committee to 1,200 people with a vote of 46-13. Another bill that adds 10 seats to the Legislative Council was pending, but it’s also expected to receive the 40 votes required for passage.

Critics say the plan is undemocratic because it reinforces a political system skewed in favor of Beijing without changing its fundamental structure.

Beijing, however, was able to win over moderates in the pro-democracy camp by making a last-minute concession. Chinese officials agreed to a Democratic Party suggestion to put all 10 new legislative seats to a popular vote.

Meanwhile, in a political bonus to Beijing, the proposals have divided its opposition. Much of the debate has been characterized by bickering among pro-democracy legislators, with members of hard-line pro-democracy parties accusing the Democratic Party of abandoning the fight for full democracy.

“If the Democratic Party votes for the reform package without the promise of genuine democracy, they have betrayed their promise and their integrity,” League of Social Democrats legislator Raymond Wong said Thursday before the vote. “They are accepting the lies of the people in power. They are no longer part of the pro-democracy camp.”

Alan Leong, a lawmaker for the pro-democacy Civic Party, said that public support has been building for changes to make Hong Kong’s government more accountable to the people’s will. He added, “If we pass this so-called ‘improved’ bill, this momentum will disappear.”

Democrat Andrew Cheng said he opposed the compromise and announced he will quit the party on Wednesday. Chairman Albert Ho was heckled by calls of “shameful” and splashed with water as he left the legislature late Wednesday. On Thursday, another Democrat, James To, called the bill “unacceptable” but eventually voted yes.

Democrats who back the bill say that while they will continue the fight for free elections, it is time for some concrete — if flawed — progress, otherwise their supporters will lose patience.

“People accuse us of compromising. I want to ask all of my friends in the pro-democracy camp, who hasn’t thought about this problem before they ran for election and entered this legislature?” legislator Lee Wing-tat said. “Have any of us compromised? We have all compromised.”