China’s Two Sessions

Chief Executive Carrie Lam also rejects accusations police used excessive force during the 2019 anti-government protests.

Economist warns that ‘China’s population crisis is approaching’, with ‘increasingly severe’ economic and social problems, as Beijing’s policymakers have already begun to change their tune.

With the revamped system in place, Beijing will be directly involved in local politics – whether it likes it or not. Being in the driver’s seat, it may be blamed for governance failures. Finger-pointing may ensue over livelihood issues, not just political matters.

Sources say proposal to suspend extradition treaties with Beijing will face resistance from some member states, notably Hungary.

But some pro-establishment legislators warn that it is also important to make sure the legislature, which will be expanded from 70 to 90 seats, is filled with experienced members.

A key amendment that raised eyebrows was the composition of a newly created 60-seat sector for grass-roots associations in the Election Committee.

City’s first secretary for justice advised judges from other common law jurisdictions working in Hong Kong to stay above the fray.

Constitutional affairs chief Erick Tsang also reveals the government is studying whether opposition district councillors who resign rather than pledge allegiance will have to return public funds.

They also have to do more to reach out to alienated supporters of the opposition who feel divisions have only deepened, members of the camp say.

City’s leader welcomes revamp as necessary to put Hong Kong back on right track and insists opposition camp can still play role in governing.

National People’s Congress Standing Committee endorses proposal expected to slash number of directly elected seats to Legislative Council, create vetting body to determine who can stand for election.

The Hong Kong-based One Country Two Systems Research Institute is hosting an event on Tuesday, which is being live streamed on scmp.com, examining China’s 14th five-year plan that was approved at the National People’s Congress earlier this month.

Beijing has redrawn the lines for power plays in Hong Kong by giving the Election Committee a major role in choosing lawmakers. It also appears to be diminishing the role of the Heung Yee Kuk, which has become an obstacle to solving Hong Kong’s housing problem.

Beijing has lost patience and thrown out much of our political structure, a setback for the democratisation of Hong Kong. Those who still wish to remain involved in civic affairs need more transparency and information from officials.

Beijing’s drive for technological self-sufficiency has led to an exodus of Taiwanese engineers lured away by the promise of a big salary.

Sweeping changes to the city’s electoral system so fast and furious many were caught by surprise.

Deep-seated workplace bias in China’s labour market – on the basis of gender, age and education – has led many to believe that postponing retirement could make finding and keeping a job even more difficult.

Subcommittee will be set up to immediately start discussing Beijing’s plan, including a resolution endorsed by the National People’s Congress.

The roots of the problem of low female political participation lie in the depths of China’s patriarchal culture. Party membership is a basic requirement if a woman wants to rise through the ranks of government and yet, out of 91 million members, only 28 per cent are women.

China is no doubt one of the world’s superpowers, but as it continues to flex its muscles internationally, its politicians are trying to fix domestic problems that could sabotage its growing power.

Analysts expect China’s leadership to focus on tackling growing implicit debt piles, particularly at local government levels, while reducing a decades-old reliance on debt-driven growth.

Lawmakers can work through the necessary legislation underpinning the reforms with extra sittings and by relegating other bills, Lam says.

Now’s the time for the pan-democrats to be more strategic and pragmatic, and to engage better with the mainland. Progress may be stalled for now, but history shows a breakthrough is possible.

Researchers in Beijing say they took a different approach that saw 60 graphics processors complete the job ‘in about five days’.