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China overhauls Hong Kong's electoral system, grants itself veto powers over candidates

WION Web Team
BeijingUpdated: Mar 11, 2021, 03:11 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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Britain had earlier condemned the proposed changes to Hong Kong's electoral system asserting that it would be a "further attack on Hong Kong's rights and freedoms".

China's parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly voted to approve changes to Hong Kong's electoral system including plans to grant Beijing veto powers over candidates.

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Reports said China's National People's Congress voted 2,895 in favour of the decision to empower its standing committee to draft the amendments to Annex I and II of Hong Kong's Basic Law with one vote against and no absentations.

Britain had earlier condemned the proposed changes to Hong Kong's electoral system asserting that it would be a "further attack on Hong Kong's rights and freedoms".

The UK had returned Hong Kong to China in 1997 with China promising to implement one country, two systems policy. 

However, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said: "We will follow the principle of one country, two systems and implement the legal system for the security of people."

The city was hit with large scale protests in 2019 over democratic freedom as China imposed the national security law in June 2020 as authorities made several arrests amid large scale violence.