Qiao Xiaoyang’s Criteria for Chief Executive

The Chairman of the Law Committee under the National People’s Congress, Qiao Xiaoyang, has hinted that a screening mechanism would form part of the 2017 Chief Executive election. While admitting that it would be difficult to write into law, Qiao stated that a candidate must firstly ‘love country, love Hong Kong’, and secondly, that those ‘who confront the central government’ would not qualify.

He also added that those who confront the central government cannot become the chief executive. Unsuitable candidates could be eliminated in a three-stage process: firstly by the nomination committee which will put forward candidates, secondly by the voters, and finally, by the central government.

Beijing loyalists have insisted Qiao was merely reiterating the longstanding position of the central government. However, the difference between past statements and what Beijing is saying today is large, and Qiao’s idea of ‘patriotism’ could be worrying, says China-watcher Ching Cheong. Qiao seems to imply that ‘those opposing one-party autocracy and supporting the separation of powers are not patriotic, and ineligible for candidacy.’

The phrase ‘love China, love Hong Kong’ was first introduced by Deng Xiaoping when he said patriots must form the main body of the administration in Hong Kong after the handover in 1997. Deng stated that ‘We don’t demand that they be in favour of China’s socialist system; we ask only for them to love the motherland and Hong Kong.’

Under Article 45 of the Basic Law, the Chief Executive is to be elected by universal suffrage ‘upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures’. Pan-democrats fear that the procedures may not be enough to allow pro-democracy candidates to seek the public’s vote.