China to limit elected office candidates in Hong Kong to only those loyal to Communist Party

The Chinese Communist Party is making efforts to change election laws in Hong Kong amid its larger response to the pro-democracy effort in the territory, saying that only "patriots" can run for and hold office.

Xia Baolong, China's new director of Hong Kong and Macau affairs, said Monday that election laws in Hong Kong must be changed so that only those who are loyal to Chinese communist ideology and the Chinese Communist Party can seek and win office.

"In our country where socialist democracy is practiced, political dissent is allowed, but the red line is here," Baolong said. "It must not be allowed to damage the fundamental system of the country – that is, damage the leadership of the Communist Party of China."

Baolong's speech comes after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019 in Hong Kong and Beijing's recent national security law that allows China to impose its own laws on Hong Kong criminal suspects, according to The Guardian.

Baolong said that the mainland central government will "close loopholes," so that no, "anti-China troublemakers," are allowed into politics in Hong Kong.