The Showdown over Election Framework
Shen Yang · 2024
Chapter 4 elucidates how the Chinese government delineated its bottom line via the White Paper and its endeavor to offer an election framework with political pre-screening through the 831 Decision. However, both documents caused severe backlash in Hong Kong society. These documents spurred increased participation in the OCLP campaign&s;s civil referendum and fostered a sense of unity among the previously fragmented pan-democracy camp. Intellectuals perceived it as a signifier of the demise of the “democratic return” aspirations nurtured since the 1980s. Many citizens became convinced that novel approaches were necessary for the pan-democracy camp to push for democratization. Consequently, students assumed a more prominent and influential role in this evolving landscape.