Overhaul Will Drag HK Back Two Decades: Bernard Chan

Executive Council convenor Bernard Chan has conceded that the changes Beijing is planning to Hong Kong's electoral system will wipe out the SAR's democratic development since the 1997 handover.

“It’s a pity that we today have probably gone back to where we were in the early days after the handover. [We] can see that the direction seems to be like that,” Chan said in an interview with RTHK from Beijing, where he is attending the annual session of the National People's Congress.

He added, however, that the electoral reforms over the years had failed to achieve their intended purpose.

Chan also said he understands that people may be disappointed with the electoral changes and could lose interest in politics, but he believes their trust will be regained over time.

He added that if Beijing does not have confidence in the political situation in Hong Kong, the "One Country, Two Systems" principle might be abandoned.

“I think we have to get back and start afresh, to develop a new road. And this road would give confidence to the central government and the country of 1.4 billion people that 'One Country, Two Systems' could carry on. Only this way could we have more space.”

The Exco convenor told RTHK he understands that Carrie Lam has “absolutely no time and space” to consider standing in the next chief executive election and said she has told him she only wants to do well over the remainder of her term, including tackling the pandemic and honouring some of her election promises.

Asked whether he would support CY Leung in any bid for a second term as chief executive, Chan said he believes Leung is definitely capable and qualified to take up the top job.

As for himself, Chan said he has no interest in becoming CE, and it would be impossible for him to give up his personal career to join the government full-time.

On Beijing's insistence that only "patriots" can govern Hong Kong, Chan said he interprets this to mean that those holding office must accept the Chinese Constitution and Hong Kong's Basic Law, and while they have to respect that the Communist Party rules China, they don't have to love the party.

The overhaul the central government is planning will include allowing the committee that selects the territory's chief executive to also take part in nominating Legco members and to appoint “a relatively large share” of lawmakers itself.