China Passes Hong Kong Election Law... Virtually Unanimous (Comprehensive)

China's Economy Boosted by Increased Self-Esteem as It Advances Direct Control Over Hong Kong Despite US Pressure
Clash Inevitable at US-China Top-Level Diplomatic Talks Scheduled for the 18th

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Despite concerns from the Western camp including the United States and the United Kingdom, the Chinese leadership has effectively passed the Hong Kong election law amendment bill unanimously.

The top-level diplomatic officials of the U.S. and China are scheduled to meet in person on the 18th in Alaska, U.S., making it highly likely that the Hong Kong issue will be a hot topic of the talks. This will be the first direct meeting between the highest-level diplomatic officials of both sides since U.S. President Joe Biden took office.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ China passes Hong Kong election law unanimously = On the afternoon of the 11th at 3 p.m. (local time), the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) held its 4th plenary session at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and passed the draft resolution on "Improving the Hong Kong Electoral System" with overwhelming approval.

Among the 2,896 NPC deputies who participated in the vote that day, 2,895 voted in favor. There was not a single opposing vote, and only one abstention. The NPC had already completed internal coordination on the Hong Kong election law amendment bill during a special committee meeting after the annual session opened on the 5th, so it was expected to pass with overwhelming support, but no one predicted it would be virtually unanimous. The amendment includes establishing a high-level committee to vet election candidates, excluding district council seats (117 seats) from the election committee that selects the Hong Kong Chief Executive, and expanding the scope of functional constituency representatives in the Legislative Council.

The NPC Standing Committee will amend Annexes 1 and 2 of the Hong Kong Basic Law related to the election of the Hong Kong Chief Executive and Legislative Council members, and the Hong Kong authorities will then revise the relevant laws. All these processes are expected to proceed smoothly.

Following the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law last year, the amendment of the election law indicates that Hong Kong will be subject to direct control from mainland China going forward.

◆ China unwilling to yield on core interests = The amendment of the Hong Kong election law has further complicated U.S.-China relations. The U.S. has publicly stated it will impose punitive sanctions on China if the Hong Kong election law amendment is enacted.

In fact, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hinted at additional sanctions against China during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the 10th, the day before the NPC vote. Secretary Blinken emphasized, "We must speak out and act against the severe democracy and human rights violations occurring in Hong Kong," and added, "We need to continue implementing sanctions against those responsible for oppressive actions in Hong Kong."

The problem is that China does not even blink at U.S. sanctions. China has consistently emphasized that it has no intention to concede or back down on its core interests. China has firmly declared Hong Kong, Taiwan, Xinjiang Uyghur and Tibet Autonomous Regions, and South China Sea territorial claims as core interests. Issues such as Hong Kong democracy, Taiwan independence, and Xinjiang Uyghur human rights are considered internal affairs, and China maintains a stance of not tolerating any interference from external forces.

Whenever the U.S. pulls out the sanctions card, China responds with corresponding measures. Meanwhile, China repeatedly states its willingness to cooperate with the U.S. on infectious diseases, climate change, and the global economy, and its openness to dialogue with the U.S. in these areas.

◆ China confident in economic normalization = Despite pressure from the U.S. and other Western countries, the Chinese leadership remains unmoved. China’s justification is non-interference in internal affairs. China’s position is that foreign powers should not meddle in its domestic issues.

As the U.S. pressures China along with allied countries, China is responding by partnering with Third World countries. China promises economic cooperation and support to secure allies. As the Chinese economy recovers from the shock of COVID-19 and normalizes, China’s self-confidence has grown even stronger.

In the first quarter of last year alone, China’s growth rate plunged to minus 6.8% due to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, through comprehensive prevention and lockdown measures, China relatively quickly controlled the spread of the virus and achieved a 'V'-shaped rebound of 3.2% in the second quarter. Subsequently, growth rates of 4.9% in the third quarter and 6.5% in the fourth quarter restored stability. China’s annual economic growth rate last year was 2.3%, making it the only major economy in the world to achieve positive growth.

The outlook for the Chinese economy this year is also bright. On the 5th, Premier Li Keqiang publicly announced at the NPC work report that this year’s economic growth target is "above 6%." There had been widespread expectations that the Chinese leadership would not disclose a growth target due to many variables such as the risk of COVID-19 resurgence and U.S.-China tensions. Premier Li’s disclosure of the target signifies confidence in the Chinese economy.

There are also many opinions that the leadership set the target conservatively. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have projected growth rates of 8.1% and 7.9% respectively for China this year. Some forecasts even suggest that China’s economy could achieve growth in the 8% range this year.

Additionally, China is appropriately utilizing COVID-19 vaccines, gaining goodwill by providing vaccines to countries facing shortages.

Meanwhile, China also unveiled drafts of its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021?2025) and long-term goals through 2035 at this year’s Two Sessions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.