[Source: BBC]

Beijing plans to overhaul Hong Kong’s electoral system to ensure “patriots” are in charge.

A draft decision on the reforms will be discussed at China’s biggest political meeting of the year, which began on Friday in Beijing.

The gathering of lawmakers is called the National People’s Congress and runs for a week.

The reforms are expected to give Beijing even more control over how the territory is governed.

It comes as 47 pro-democracy activists were charged with “subversion” under a new security law that critics say is being used by Beijing to crush dissent in the city.

Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, has welcomed the plans.

“First we need to change the electoral system and arrangements in Hong Kong is for the one single purpose is to make sure whoever is governing Hong Kong is patriotic and those who govern Hong Kong are not confined to the Chief Executive or her political team in applies to various expects to the political structure.”

The meeting typically happens in early March with nearly 3,000 delegates from all around the country – representing provinces, autonomous regions, and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.