Beijing's controversial proposal to introduce new veto powers on Hong Kong's legislative elections are "lawful, just and reasonable," China's foreign minister said Sunday, after the move was criticised as an attack on the city's freedoms.

Legislation to allow China's communist rulers to vet all election candidates in Hong Kong was put forward Friday at the opening of the nation's rubber-stamp parliament in Beijing.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking at a press conference on the congress' sidelines in Beijing, said the proposed change was necessary to "maintain enduring peace and stability in Hong Kong" following huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy rallies in 2019.

Wang said Sunday the proposed rules would promote "Hong Kong's transition from chaos to governance," and were "completely constitutional."

The draft decision was announced a day after dozens of democracy campaigners in the former British colony were jailed under a national security law passed during last year's parliamentary session.

Legislation submitted to the Congress is nearly always approved overwhelmingly by the Communist Party-controlled chamber.

The proposed rules drew swift international condemnation, with the United States and European Union saying China was violating guarantees of autonomy granted to Hong Kong during the transition from British rule in 1997.

The move constitutes "a direct attack" on Hong Kong's freedoms, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

Beijing has moved quickly to dismantle the financial hub's democratic pillars in response to huge protests that paralysed the city for months.

Chinese officials have repeatedly said in recent weeks that only "staunch patriots" -- those loyal to the Communist Party -- should be involved in governing Hong Kong.

Wang on Friday said "to love Hong Kong and to be a patriot are exactly the same thing."

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Beijing to tighten vetting of Hong Kong legislators
Beijing (AFP) March 5, 2021
China will give itself power to veto any candidate for Hong Kong's legislature, according to a draft proposal described on Friday by a top Chinese lawmaker that represents a significant blow to the city's already limited democracy. A Beijing-controlled election committee in the city would be tasked with "electing a large proportion of Legislative Council members and directly participating in the nomination of all Legislative Council members," Wang Chen, vice-chairman of the National People's Congres ... read more