China’s top advisory body has unanimously supported drastic changes that would block democratic figures from running in Hong Kong’s elections — a proposal that was expected to be passed by the nation’s rubber-stamp legislature.

The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference passed a motion to support a political overhaul of Hong Kong’s voting system at the end of its annual meetings on Wednesday.

The motion states that members of the advisory body unanimously and firmly supported decisions by the National People’s Congress, China’s rubber-stamp legislature, to “perfect” Hong Kong’s electoral system.

A total of 2,079 members voted in favor of the motion, none voted against it, and eight others abstained or did not vote.

Backing from the advisory body came as the NPC was expected to vote on the overhaul plan during a meeting on Thursday. The proposal would block pro-democracy figures from running in Hong Kong elections, ensuring only “patriots” or those loyal to Beijing hold public offices in Hong Kong.

In a speech during Wednesday’s meeting, the advisory body’s chair, Wang Yang, said its members must take Chinese President Xi Jinping’s thoughts as their guiding principle at work .

He also urged them to embody the spirit of cattle through humble service, innovation and the willingness to work hard, as the country moved toward goals laid down by its latest five-year development blueprint.

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