Hong Kong to vet political candidates' history to ensure loyalty to China

Candidates for public office in Hong Kong will now have their entire past and history vetted -- in conjunction with China's various moves to ensure only "patriots" run the city.

In an ongoing crackdown on the city's democracy movement, China's leaders have moved decisively to tighten their control of the international finance hub.

They imposed a national security law last year that outlawed much dissent, dismantling Hong Kong's limited democratic pillars after massive protests broke out in 2019. 

Dozens of campaigners have been prosecuted or jailed since, smothering protests in a city that had enjoyed greater political freedoms than the authoritarian mainland under the "One Country, Two Systems" arrangement.

And on Tuesday, China imposed changes on its electoral system.

The latest amendments to the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini constitution, have ensured that a majority of lawmakers will be selected by a reliably pro-Beijing committee, and every candidate will be vetted by national security officers.

Hong Kong's Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng told public broadcaster RTHK that the committee will consider "all the materials related to the candidates", including anything that is "suspected to have affected their loyalty and allegiance".

And to top this, there will be no restriction on what could be reviewed.

Under the new measures, Hong Kong's legislature will be expanded from 70 to 90 seats, but only 20 of them will now be directly elected, down from 35.

Chinese authorities have trumpeted the electoral reform as the second of a "combination of punches" to quell unrest, after the sweeping national security law.