The new District Council election will be held on December 10. The nomination period starts tomorrow and ends on December 30. Yesterday afternoon, the Democratic Party announced that it would send six people to participate in the election. Surprisingly, five of the six people had resigned because they were unwilling to swear allegiance to the Basic Law.
According to many local media reports, at yesterday's press conference, the reporter asked: Why did the Democratic Party resign after resigning because it refused to take an oath? Don't agree with the oath, still a patriot? Why does the Democratic Party still consider itself a patriot qualified to stand for election when it participates in illegal "occupying the middle" and "black violence" In the face of a series of problems, Luo Jianxi, the chairman of the Democratic Party, hesitated or avoided talking, looking like a mess.
A party that does not agree with the new election system, a party that is not cut off from the anti China chaos Hong Kong forces, and a party that is not interested in serving the grassroots people, but wants to participate in the district council elections openly. Don't they know that the principle of "patriot governing Hong Kong" should be implemented in the district council elections? Don't they know that the District Councils will return to the functions of "service" and "consultation" stipulated in the Basic Law?
Any party has the right to participate in the district council election, but the Democratic Party's operation is illogical. Since then, the party has the following "three no's".
Disapproval of the new electoral system
The core of the new electoral system is to implement the "Patriot Governing Hong Kong" policy. Only when patriots have the right to govern Hong Kong can they sincerely uphold the "one country" principle and the practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong will not be distorted. "Patriotic governance of Hong Kong" is an iron principle that must be observed.
After the implementation of the new electoral system, the leaders of the Democratic Party were suspected of violating the national security law, or were jailed, or fled overseas. Luo Jianxi took over as the chairman of the Democratic Party. Regrettably, this person did not lead the Democratic Party to carry out profound introspection, reform and start again. During the first Legislative Council election under the new electoral system in 2021, Luo Jianxi advocated "the theory that elections are useless" to prevent party members from standing for election. On the eve of July 1 last year, Luo Jianxi issued the so-called "Position Paper on the 25th Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong". He did not mention the party's bad deeds of fighting against China's chaos in Hong Kong, inciting violence and helping violence, let alone "mending the tear". He also made the condition that the first step of mending the tear should be taken from those in power and "political prisoners" should be released. The Hong Kong society needs to "repair and tear", but it must be repaired after the offenders are punished by law, and it must be repaired on the basis of the implementation of the "patriot rule Hong Kong"; Any repair of unprincipled bottom line is a fool's dream! In September this year, Luo Jianxi published an article entitled "Planting Flower Tubes on the Cement Ground in Winter, Summer, Spring and Autumn - Talking about District Council Election", continuing to discredit the new election system.
The Democratic Party's rejection of the new electoral system is essentially a rejection of the principle of "patriot governing Hong Kong". They resist "one country" from the bottom of their bones. In their thinking system, Hong Kong and the central government are "equal", and the state and Hong Kong are not subordinate to each other; In their discourse system, "between Hong Kong and China" and "between Hong Kong and China" are common expressions; In their concept, "patriotism" and "loving Hong Kong" are two opposite concepts. All "patriots" must "sell Hong Kong", and all "Hong Kong lovers" must "reject China and resist the Communist Party".
A large number of facts show that the Democratic Party does not approve of the new electoral system and the principle of "patriot governing Hong Kong". This is a major issue of right and wrong, which requires close attention and vigilance.
Not cut off from anti China and anti chaos harbor elements
Democracy is a good thing. However, the Democratic Party, with the name of "democracy", has changed the flavor of democracy and repeatedly broken the bottom line of the rule of law, regardless of the essence of democracy, which is to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the people.
In 2014, the 79 day long illegal "occupation of central China" caused huge losses to Hong Kong. Dozens of members of the Democratic Party openly expressed their participation in the illegal "occupation of central China" and advocated expressing their political demands in an illegal way.
On "7.1" in 2019, mobs forced their way into the Legislative Council, smeared the regional emblem of the SAR in the conference hall, tore up the Basic Law on the rostrum, displayed the "Dragon and Lion Flag", which symbolized "Hong Kong independence", and smashed and ransacked the offices of members. It was later confirmed that there were Democratic lawmakers who provided guidance for the mob.
During the storm of amendment, Xu Zhifeng, a member of the Democratic Party, and others repeatedly appeared at the scene of street riots to prevent the police from enforcing the law and cover the retreat of the mob as legislators. Li Zhuming, the founding chairman of the Democratic Party, Tu Jingshen, an important member of the Democratic Party, and others have visited the United States many times to beg the United States for sanctions against Hong Kong. At that time, shortly after the US trade war against China began, they also made suggestions for US trade sanctions against China.
The Democratic Party is full of bad deeds, which are impressive. After the implementation of the National Security Law of Hong Kong, people expected the Democratic Party to mend its ways and "cut its ties" with anti Chinese rebels in Hong Kong. However, the Democratic Party "selectively forgot" its past misdeeds, repeatedly cried grievances for its colleagues suspected of violating the National Security Law, and also discredited the National Security Law and Hong Kong's judicial system, misled the public, and continued to tear apart Hong Kong society. On the eve of the Mid Autumn Festival this year, the Democratic Party prepared to sell unlicensed mooncakes to raise money for Lin Zhuoting, the former vice chairman of the party who was detained on suspicion of violating Hong Kong's national security laws.
These facts show that the Democratic Party has not yet been cut off from anti China and anti Hong Kong elements. Once the wind blows, it is entirely possible to work together and make a comeback. This has to be alarming and worrying!
Not interested in serving grassroots citizens
Recently, the Democratic Party has repeatedly questioned the government's failure to disclose the contact information of the members of the "three councils" in an attempt to create the illusion of "unfair elections". In this regard, the Secretary for Youth and Urban Rural Affairs, Mai Meijuan, has already said that the Home Affairs Office, as the secretariat of the "three associations", will refer any request for contacting the "three associations", and there is no obstacle to contacting the members of the "three associations". In fact, in the past elections, the government did not directly disclose the contact information of the qualified nominees. If the contact information of the "three council" nominees for the District Council election is disclosed separately, it is inconsistent with the arrangements for other elections, which is the real unfair election; Moreover, the privacy of the nominee should also be protected.
The hype of the Democratic Party revealed that they had no contact with the "three sessions" at ordinary times, and also proved from one side that they were not enthusiastic about community affairs at all. In fact, the Democratic Party is a party keen on political struggle, and has no intention of going deep into the grassroots or serving the citizens; In the past, the reason why they wanted to go to the community "for a walk" was that they valued the votes, especially being good at attracting young people with beautiful political slogans. Once they got the votes, they would disappear from afar.
In accordance with the District Council reform plan, the new District Council returns to the nature of a "non political regional advisory organization" as prescribed in Article 97 of the Basic Law, and strengthens the functions of "service" and "consultation". The District Council and the "three councils" of the district are under the overall leadership of the government and work together to serve grassroots citizens. Imagine that the Democratic Party and the members of the "three councils" are not familiar with each other. How can they cooperate effectively? The Democratic Party is not enthusiastic about community work. How can we know and reach the public opinion? How can the Democratic Party communicate effectively with the government without changing its resistance to the government? Even if a member of the Democratic Party is elected as a district councillor, it is difficult to carry out work.
Obviously, the Democratic Party's candidacy for the District Council is "not for drinking", but for disturbing the situation, or in order to increase the exposure, it shows to the "behind the scenes money owners" that they are still "continuing to fight", striving for "feeding" and surviving.
Xia Baolong, Vice Chairman of the 13th CPPCC National Committee, Executive Deputy Leader of the Central Leading Group for Hong Kong and Macao Affairs, and Director of the Central Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, paid close attention to Hong Kong governance. On April 15 this year, in his speech at the opening ceremony of the National Security Education Day 2023 in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, he said: "Now Hong Kong society seems calm, but in fact, the undercurrent is surging. The root cause of chaos has not been eradicated, and the foundation of governance needs to be consolidated. Everyone needs to be alert to the resurgence of street violence and" soft confrontation " Concealed disturbances and vigilance against overseas activities in Hong Kong. In particular, some anti China activities in Hong Kong, under the guise of so-called human rights, freedom, democracy and people's livelihood, are extremely confusing and should not be taken lightly. "
Today, the Democratic Party, which has not changed its previous position, wants to participate in the district council elections in a high profile. This is an event that "must not be taken lightly". It deserves high vigilance and should not be allowed to muddle through!
(The writer is the deputy director of the Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the chairman of the Hong Kong New Era Development Think Tank, the deputy dean and visiting professor of the Institute of "One Country, Two Systems" and Basic Law of Jinan University)
