John Marrett, senior analyst at risk consultancy The Economist Intelligence Unit, said Beijing has already made several moves to hold back opposition in Hong Kong.
“It is notable that they’re going much further in proposing these electoral reforms, the details of which we have yet to see,” he told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” on Monday.
“But it does say something about their fears of a later resurgence of political instability, social unrest in the city and it does speak to their lack of concern for international outcry over Hong Kong anymore,” he added.
Hong Kong is a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997. The city is governed under a “one country, two systems” principle that gives it greater autonomy than other mainland Chinese cities, including limited election rights.
The Hong Kong government has barred at least 12 pro-democracy candidates from running in the city’s legislative election — which was postponed for one year until September 2021. The government cited the pandemic as the reason for the delay.
In addition, four opposition lawmakers were dismissed from Hong Kong’s Legislative Council in November last year — leading others to resign in protest, reported Reuters.
Source Article from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/02/beijing-could-tighten-its-grip-on-hong-kong-through-electoral-reforms.html
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