'Destabilizers can't be patriots in one day'

Michael Shum

It is impossible for destabilizing forces to become patriots in one day and they should not be qualified to join the district council election, says Zheng Yanxiong, head of Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong.

They are welcome to jump on the patriotic bandwagon although it would take time to confirm their intentions, Zheng said.

In a government seminar on district governance yesterday, Zheng said patriots should be identified by what they say and do in accordance with "recognized standards" for patriots.

"It is impossible for someone who was anti-China and stirring up trouble in Hong Kong yesterday to suddenly become a patriot after shouting a few slogans today," Zheng said.

"Patriots should sincerely safeguard national sovereignty and security, sincerely safeguard the country's fundamental system and the SAR's constitutional order and sincerely safeguard Hong Kong's prosperity and stability."

Those who are not patriots, or even the destabilizing forces, "should not even have a chance of being qualified to join the elections," he said.

Zheng shared four views about the revamped system.

He said people should fully understand the political logic behind the district administration and "unswervingly implement" the patriots administering Hong Kong principle.

"Secondly, the root of Hong Kong's chaos has yet to be completely cleared, the foundation of governing is still yet to be consolidated. Improving district administration is one of the steps to ensure the soil of the color revolution in Hong Kong is completely removed," he said.

He said that following the 2019 elections, district councils had been used as a platform to confront the central government.

"It is the only way to ensure national security and the public's interest by returning to the intention of the Chinese constitution and the Basic Law, and restore the district council as a district consultative body," Zheng said.

He said that as a result of the reform, district councils, district fight crime committees, area committees, district fire safety committees and care teams in each district "will coordinate and cooperate with each other to the benefit of the SAR government's governance from a fundamental level."

At the seminar, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the district councils are not a "representative institution" and it would be misleading and a "false proposition" to discuss the level of democracy in district councils.

"Improvement in district administration is to ensure Hong Kong will not go the wrong path again," he said.

Speaking before the Executive Council meeting yesterday, Lee said people who could not get enough nominations should improve themselves, adding that the revamped district council election serves the function of "selecting elites" as candidates.

"The high standards were set in order to pick the best and most capable district councillors," he said. "Every election system has its own standards.

"If you fail during the [nomination] process, you should continue to improve yourself so that in the future both nominators and voters believe you can serve the district and fulfill your duties."

Nomination for the district vote that will be held on December 10 closed on Monday with a total of 399 nomination forms backing 171 candidates to compete for 88 directly elected seats. None from the former pan-democratic camp is nominated.

Some candidates of the pro-establishment also failed to secure nominations, including four of the five aspirants from Roundtable party convened by lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun.

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com