Government and Politics of Hong Kong

Government Type

limited democracy

Administrative Divisions

none (special administrative region of China)

Legal System

based on English common law

Suffrage

direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn fr

Citizenship

See China

Executive Branch

chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013) head of government: Chief Executive John LEE Ka-chiu (since 1 July 2022) cabinet: Executive Council consists of 16 official members and 16 non-official members elections: Chief Executive Carrie LAM served from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2022 after being selected by the 1,200-member Election Committee; John LEE was selected by the Election Committee on 8 May 2022 and formally took office on 1 July 2022; the Election Committee, dominated by pro-Beijing figures, was restructured under the 2021 electoral reforms to expand its role in selecting the Chief Executive; the next Chief Executive election is scheduled for 2027

Legislative Branch

unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group 62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10, independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11, Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1; non-voting LEGCO president 1

Judicial Branch

Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Political Parties

Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik, chairman]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat, chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman] note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party

Head of State

President of China HU Jintao

Head of Government

Chief Executive Donald TSANG

Cabinet

Executive Council consists of 15 official members and 16 non-official members

Elections

chief executive elected for five-year term by 800-member electoral committee; last held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

Election Results

Donald TSANG elected chief executive receiving 84.1% of the vote of the election committee; Alan LEONG received 15.9%

Constitution

Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress is Hong Kong's ""mini-constitution""

Independence

none (special administrative region of China)

National Holiday

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

International Organization Participation

APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

none (special administrative region of China)

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2845-1598

Capital City

Victoria

History

Name of the territory, ceded to Britain by China in 1842, comes from the Chinese hiang kiang, meaning "favorable water" or "good harbor". The capital was named after the British queen.

U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau 26 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong Telephone: 852-2841-2211 (Direct lines to American Citizen Services during regular business hours) Emergency after-hours telephone: 852-2523-9011 Facsimile: 852-2845-4845

Military Branches

No regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region (