Beijing tightens grip as Hong Kong heads for legislature polls without opposition

Hong Kong, December 8 : Hong Kong is set to conduct elections for its Legislative Council on December 7, with not a single candidate representing the pro-democracy movement. The Chinese government's efforts to portray the legislature, referred to as LegCo, as legitimate are evidently not convincing to most people.
Many residents of Hong Kong discreetly boycotted the 2021 election, leading to an unprecedented low voter turnout, as noted in a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report.
Five years into its extensive crackdown, Beijing has completely taken over the LegCo. It changed laws to guarantee that only loyalists of the Chinese Communist Party could participate, reduced the number of directly elected positions from 35 to 20 out of a total of 90, disqualified pro-democracy lawmakers who were elected, and jailed numerous leaders from the pro-democracy movement in the city. Pro-democracy parties have dissolved.
The last remaining organisation, the League of Social Democrats, ceased operations in June.
However, it seems that the complete elimination of the pro-democracy faction was not enough. Just before the candidacy deadline, at least 22 experienced pro-Beijing legislators declared that they would not run for re-election.
Analysts suggest that Beijing orchestrated this shift to replace them with individuals even more dedicated to the party.
Indeed, LegCo now includes an increasing number of mainland officials with strong connections to the Chinese government but limited understanding of Hong Kong.
It is not surprising that once lively election debates now seem as shallow and awkward as the election itself, according to the HRW report.
Authorities in Hong Kong are intensifying their crackdown on those challenging this facade. At least eight individuals were detained for "inciting" others to abstain from voting.
In November, a judge specialising in national security sentenced a woman to one year in prison for advocating for the Hong Kong Parliament, an initiative led by the diaspora to form an unofficial democratic assembly outside of China, as reported by HRW.
While Beijing may believe that the LegCo is thriving now, it has approved 130 bills during its current term, rejecting only one regarding the rights of certain same-sex couples. Public consultations have plummeted by 80 per cent, as the HRW report highlights.
A government that suppresses authentic discussion and debate undermines its own credibility. The recent tragic fire in Tai Po, which has raised alarm over potential government negligence, illustrates that the absence of democratic institutions incurs severe consequences, both in terms of lives and effective governance.
The calls for governmental accountability following the fire appear to be unsettling for Beijing. Instead of tightening its grip on Hong Kong at great expense, the Chinese government should aim to revive the openness that once characterised Hong Kong's dynamic and prosperous society, according to the HRW report.