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Beijing has endorsed a sweeping overhaul of Hong Kong's electoral system, creating powers to vet anyone standing for public office and slashing the number of directly-elected politicians. The new measures by-pass Hong Kong's legislature and are not open to appeal. They include introducing a committee that will quiz anyone hoping to enter Hong Kong politics on their level of patriotism.

The reforms are a direct response to many months of protest by pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong, who had hoped that China would honour a pledge made to preserve a measure of autonomy for the territory, after British authority there ended nearly fifteen years ago.

Avery Ng, Secretary General of the Hong Kong League of Social Democrats, reacts to the new legislation, saying he believes that in future, anyone who disagrees with the Beijing government will be considered "unpatriotic" and so unlikely to get through new vetting procedures. However, he describes himself as a "pragmatic optimist" and says the pro-democracy movement will emerge in another form.

Photo: Anti-election reform protest In Hong Kong, March 2021 Credit: Getty Images

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