Hong Kong begins first polls after shake-up of electoral system
The formation of the election committee on Sunday is the first poll to be held under the patriots' rule imposed by Beijing.
The formation of the election committee on Sunday is the first poll to be held under the patriots' rule imposed by Beijing.
Hong Kong has adopted the strictest social distancing measures and restrictions on inbound visitors to cope with a resurgence of Covid-19 cases since the beginning of July.
Lam, a pro-Beijing appointee, was one of a number of Chinese and Hong Kong officials sanctioned by the United States after Beijing imposed a sweeping security law on the semi-autonomous city in late June.
As relations between Washington and Beijing remain tense, the US has moved to end preferential treatment for Hong Kong over what it sees as an erosion of its autonomy and freedoms.
The arrests of the suspects, aged 16 to 21, on Wednesday marked the first such crackdown on anti-government activists not at the scene of street protests since the legislation came into effect on June 30
The new Chinese law would enforce punishment for 'subversion, treason and sedition' in the city, which would allow Beijing to crack down on pro-democracy protesters and dissidents.
The draft said the security law would "guard against, stop and punish any separatism, subversion of the national regime, terrorist group activities and such behaviours that seriously harm national security".
The risk posed by a new local cluster from unknown sources last week has prompted officials to extend social distancing, the SCMP has learned.
Police arrested more than 230 people on Sunday night following protests across the city.
Earlier, Health experts suggested that Hong Kong could be considered to be free of local transmission if there were no such cases after 28 days, or two incubation cycles for the coronavirus.
