China leader warns of ‘democracy trap’ for HK

The head of China's parliament warned Thursday that importing Western-style democracy for a planned direction election in Hong Kong in 2017 could lead to "disastrous" results, according to a delegate who attended a closed-door meeting at the current session of China's National People's Congress.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with wide-ranging autonomy, an independent judiciary and relatively free press under the formula of "one country, two systems" — along with an undated promise of full democracy, an issue never broached by the British during 150 years of colonial rule.

China has agreed to let Hong Kong elect its next leader in 2017 in what will be the most far-reaching version of democracy on Chinese soil. Specific arrangements, however, have yet to be decided including, crucially, whether public nominations of candidates including opposition democrats will be allowed.

In a sign of Beijing's hardening stance, Zhang Dejiang, the head of China's National People's Congress, told Hong Kong delegates attending the annual NPC meetings in Beijing that Western-style democracy would need to be adapted to Hong Kong.

"You cannot just move or copy (the electoral system) from abroad, otherwise you might very easily find it can't adapt to the local environment and become a democracy trap ... and possibly bring a disastrous result," said Ma Fung-kwok, a Hong Kong deputy to the NPC, citing comments made by Zhang in the two-hour meeting.

Ma didn't give any specifics on what such a disaster might be. China's state media also didn't immediately report the comments by Zhang, one of China's most powerful men on the seven-man Politburo Standing Committee.

State news agency Xinhua reported Zhang pledged support for suffrage in Hong Kong, but no mention was made of importing electoral systems from abroad.

"It has been the persistent standpoint of the central government to support the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in developing democracy step by step in accordance with the HKSAR Basic Law," Xinhua quoted Zhang as saying.

Other delegates in the meeting said Zhang had re-emphasized three key criteria for the poll, including that candidates must "love" China and abide by the city's mini-constitution that states all candidates must be approved by a "broadly representative nominating committee" that would more than likely be dominated by pro-Beijing loyalists.

"This direct electoral system cannot damage the motherland's sovereignty, safety and future development, nor damage the China-Hong Kong relationship," said Rita Fan, an NPC delegate who also attended the meeting, citing comments by Zhang.

Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong have grown increasingly embittered by this "fake democracy" and have threatened to seal off the city's business district in an Occupy Central campaign of civil disobedience this summer unless Beijing allows open and public nominations.

Fan added that while Zhang didn't mention the Occupy Central movement directly, the underlying meaning of his comments was clear.

On Jan. 1, an estimated 30,000 demonstrators marched through the city to demand a greater say in choosing future leaders. Currently Hong Kong's chief executive is elected by a 1,200-member pro-Beijing committee.

Al Jazeera and wire services