Hong Kong's overhaul of its election law represents a "new chapter of good governance," the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office in Beijing said Friday.
However, the changes are expected to significantly curtail any opposition's ability to participate in government and are a big step for China's efforts to bring Hong Kong into line with its own system and to transition it away from how it chose its leaders when the territory was under British control.
But the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said the changes would see a return of the city's development "to the right track."
Analysts at the National University of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy said the passing of the law illustrated how Hong Kong's political system was now moving closer to the mainland.
The city's Legislative Council approved the China-drafted overhaul in a 40-2 vote Friday. One of the provisions of the legislation will be the formation of a review committee to vet candidates for elected offices.
The committee will determine if a candidate is a "patriot" and if they will uphold local laws and "respect" the rules of the Communist Party. The candidates must also be approved by national security officials of the Hong Kong police force.
THe politicians that submitted the proposal to change the electoral process argued the legislation was necessary to reduce polarization and to curb the influence of "foreign forces." They also said the law was necessary to allow politicians and the government to concentrate on improving the economy.
Critics say some aspects of the legislation are too vague - particularly in how "patriotism" is determined. Hong Kong's No. 2 official, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung, was opposed and said it might limit opportunities for dissenting voices.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong police banned a pro-democracy vigil to commemorate the anniversary of Tiananmen Square. Authorities denied the application because of pandemic concerns.
