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Hong Kong’s Legislative Assembly is being emptied of pro-democracy politicians after the remaining 15 withdrew in protest at the removal of four more.
Empty seats were left after pro-democracy opposition politicians left the Hong Kong National Assembly.
Vincent Yu / AP / NTB
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Thus, only those loyal to Beijing are left in the partially autonomous city assembly.
“Hong Kong Chinese, prepare for a long, long time where there is only one voice in society,” opposition politician Lam Cheuk-ting said outside the National Assembly building, posting a poster criticizing the city’s leader, Carrie. Lam, a friend from Beijing.
– If you are a dissident, prepare for even greater pressure, he added.
Beijing friendly committees appoint the head of the city government. But half of the 70 seats in the city’s assembly have been directly elected, giving the 7.5 million residents a rare opportunity to have their voices heard through the ballot papers.
Baskets and protests routinely broke out in the hall, where the pro-democratic minority often used obstructionist tactics and other methods to try to stop decisions they opposed.
International protests
China’s introduction of a national security law in Hong Kong this summer, while the world’s eyes were on the spread of the covid-19 pandemic, was a slap in the face to the freedom that China had promised Hong Kong. it would continue to hold after the end of British colonial rule over Hong Kong. in 1997.
Several countries have protested against the introduction of the law by Beijing and several countries have imposed sanctions. The United States announced Wednesday that the country could further strengthen sanctions against China.
“Beijing’s recent actions in excluding MPs from the Hong Kong Legislature leave no doubt that the Communist Party of China has been in clear breach of international obligations,” said Robert O’Brien, National Security Advisor for United States.
“The United States continues to identify and sanction those responsible for stifling Hong Kong’s freedom,” he said.
Exclude
The U.S. statement came on the same day that 15 pro-democracy politicians in the Hong Kong People’s Congress withdrew in protest against the Beijing-friendly city government that evicted four of its pro-democracy colleagues. democracy on Tuesday.
The day before, the 15 warned that they would take this step if their four companions were expelled.
The pro-democracy wing has decided that if the standing committee of the People’s Congress decides to disapprove of MPs, then all pro-democracy MPs will resign at once, Wu Chi-wai, leader of the Democratic Party, said at a press conference on Monday.
The expulsion of the four was a follow-up to a Chinese decision early Tuesday that any politician deemed a threat to national security should be expelled.
With a total of 19 pro-democracy opposition activists now out, only two elected representatives from Beijing’s friendly camp remain in the Hong Kong People’s Congress.
