'Gradually Let All Overseas Hongkongers Vote'

Executive Councillor Ip Kwok-him said the SAR government should work towards allowing all Hongkongers living on the mainland and overseas to vote in local elections.

Ip, who’s also a local deputy to the National People's Congress, said the proposal should be rolled out in the Greater Bay Area first, because Hong Kong has close links with the mainland and the development of the GBA region is a national strategic project.

Ip's comments comes following reports that the government was mulling plans to allow Hong Kong residents living in the Greater Bay Area to vote in the coming Legco polls.

The proposals were slammed by pan-democrat lawmakers, who said it was a blatant attempt to rig the elections.

Ip said he supported the idea of giving Hong Kong residents who are now living outside the SAR, the chance to fulfill their voting rights.

Authorities, in principle, should also work to allow all other Hong Kong permanent residents living around the world to vote as well because he thinks they too have the same voting rights, he said.

Ip told an Commercial Radio programme that other countries have been allowing their citizens who live in Hong Kong to vote in their elections, and that normally Hongkongers who live across the border do come back to vote, but some are unable to because of work.

But with the Covid-19 pandemic disrupting travel between the mainland and Hong Kong, he agreed that the SAR government should “create relevant conditions” to make it possible for Hongkongers living in different parts of the world to vote.

When asked if this would apply to a voter who lives overseas but is no longer a Chinese national, he said that needs to be discussed or considered further.