China has passed sweeping changes to Hong Kong's electoral rules which will tighten its control over the city.

The number of directly elected seats in parliament has been cut almost by half, and prospective MPs will first be vetted by a pro-Beijing committee to ensure their loyalty to the mainland.

The aim is to ensure only "patriotic" figures can run for positions of power.

Critics warn it will mean the end of democracy, as it removes all opposition from the city parliament.

Beijing's rubber-stamp parliament first approved the plan during the National People's Congress (NPC) meetings earlier in March.

On Tuesday, Chinese state media reported that the country's top decision-making body, the NPC Standing Committee, voted unanimously to pass it. This amends the annexes of Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law.

Details of the plan are expected to be announced shortly, and Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam is due to hold a press conference.

All opposition to the Chinese Communist Party has effectively been obliterated from formal politics in Hong Kong.

When these changes were announced a few weeks ago, they drew criticism internationally.

On Twitter, Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne spoke of her country's concern that the new arrangements in the territory would "weaken its democratic institutions". That was being kind.

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, described the moves as an "assault on democracy".

The truth is, the city's electoral system was already rigged to ensure that the "pro-Beijing" camp could never lose control of the mini-parliament, the Legislative Council.

Its leader, the chief executive, was already directly chosen by a pro-Beijing committee.

The last time the only real elections in Hong Kong were held - those for local governments - the pro-democracy camp took control of all but one district council right across the city.

This clearly spooked Beijing so now they've stopped pro-democracy candidates from standing at all.

What are the changes, and what do they mean for Hong Kong?

Media reports have indicated that Hong Kong's parliamentary Legislative Council (LegCo) will be changed, effectively making it easier to bar politicians deemed critical of Beijing.

All prospective candidates will be vetted, and the influence of democratically-elected members in LegCo is likely to be diluted.

The changes come months after several opposition lawmakers were disqualified, which led to the entire opposition in LegCo resigning.

If a future veto keeps critics out of LegCo, such public embarrassments would be much less likely.

Several local elections are coming up in 2021, although it's not clear yet when the reforms would take effect.

BBC

More about: