Pro-China parties boycott democracy referendum in Hong Kong

Hong Kong - All major pro-China and pro-government parties in Hong Kong said Wednesday they would boycott upcoming by-elections because they consider them a waste of public money. The by-elections, not yet scheduled, would fill the seats of five pro-democracy legislators who resigned to protest government policy.

The pro-Beijing Federation of Trade Unions joined the Democratic Alliance and the Liberal Party in saying it will not stand in the five by-elections.

The parties called the process "a farce" and a waste of public money, making it likely that pro-democracy candidates would stand uncontested.

The boycott comes after China's State Council argued that the resignations contravened Hong Kong's mini-constitution. Hong Kong's leader Donald Tsang also attacked the opposition ploy.

Five legislators from two pro-democracy parties resigned in protest at government proposals for limited electoral reform in 2012, which they said do not go far enough toward full democracy.

They claim the by-elections will be a de facto referendum to give Hong Kong people a chance to tell the government if they want democracy sooner than Beijing is prepared to allow.

Currently, only half of Hong Kong's 60 legislators are directly elected - with the other half chosen by so-called functional constituencies which represent special interest groups such as labor, finance and real estate. There is no popular vote for the position of chief executive.

Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty under a "one country, two systems" arrangement in 1997, which technically allows for full democracy from 2007.

However, Beijing intervened to rule out universal suffrage until at least 2020, arguing the territory was not yet politically mature enough.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/307272,pro-china-parties-boycott-democracy-referendum-in-hong-kong.html.