Changes to how Hong Kong elects its leaders is underway both in Victoria and Beijing. After preliminary debates earlier this year, this is the second stage of a larger political process. Being debated is whether to revise election methods for Hong Kong's chief executive in 2017 and its Legislative Council in 2016.

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Under the standing law, the territory's chief executive is elected by committee whose nominations are stipulated by Beijing. Hong Kong plans to introduce universal suffrage in 2017; sitting Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying formally declared that every eligible citizen should be able to cast a vote for the city's next leader in July, setting the stage for the reforms now being considered. 

The least-free piece of the British Empire is the most free nugget of China. Elections in the former British colony have slowly become more democratic, but several commentators see limits to just how far Hong Kong can go under China's "one country, two systems" policy. While the Middle Kingdom often spins itself as Hong Kong's benevolent "Grandpa," the city of seven million has virtually no choice but to be almost entirely dependent on China for resources. Water, food, and energy loom as the white elephant in the room. 

The elephant roared earlier this year in the form of a public outcry when Hong Kong put forth plans to link the city into the Chinese power grid, a move that would result in 90 percent of Hong Kong's power being wired in from neighboring Guangdong Province. As it stands, Hong Kong already gets about 40 percent of its power from Chinese sources. 

Of the current reforms, political analysts are curious to see if Beijing will demand electoral candidates gain the majority approval of the nominating committee to as to have their names on the Hong Kong ballot. As the committee is seen largely leaning towards Beijing's interests, it could winnow more independent-minded names from the vote.

TagsHong Kong, Hong Kong pro-democracy