Hong Kong’s new chief convenor role requires no local legislation as power comes from Beijing, Carrie Lam says

Lam assures TV audience new system introduced in this week’s sweeping electoral overhaul would only be ‘activated’ by the chief executive in ‘extraordinary circumstances’

But local lawmakers are demanding more details about the position overseeing the powerful Election Committee, including what qualifies as ‘extraordinary’

Reading Time:3 minutes

Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Thursday said creating the new role of chief convenor of the Election Committee would require no local legislation. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 8:31pm, 1 Apr 2021Updated: 11:46am, 6 Apr 2021

Hong Kong’s pro-establishment lawmakers on Thursday clamoured for more details about a newly created chief convenor role for the powerful Election Committee, with the city’s leader saying the position would be the only element of this week’s dramatic electoral overhaul not covered by local legislation.

The convenor’s power, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor explained during a television interview, rests entirely with Beijing.

“I can make it clear that almost everything mentioned in Annex 1 and 2 [of the Basic Law] needs to be reflected in the local legislation,” she said, referring to the mini-constitution’s rules for the chief executive and Legislative Council elections, which were drastically rewritten by Beijing on Tuesday.

“But [the convenor system] doesn’t need that, as its power comes from the central government.”

Lam reassured viewers that the new convenor system would only be initiated by the chief executive in “extraordinary circumstances”.

A government banner touts the drastic overhaul of Hong Kong’s electoral system endorsed in Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

“The chief executive will first submit a report to the central government, and if Beijing has no other means to solve the problem immediately, the convenor system will then be activated,” Lam added.