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The expulsion of four pro-democracy lawmakers from Hong Kong’s legislature was “the right medicine” for the city, China said, telling foreign governments that the issue was none of its business.
Fifteen politicians pledged to resign angrily after their colleagues were ousted on national security grounds by the Beijing-appointed chief executive, raising fears that the space for dissent in Hong Kong is shrinking.
Millions of Hong Kong residents took to the streets last year in months of disturbing protests over diminishing freedoms. The demonstrations were suppressed by the pandemic and a new law that made certain opinions illegal overnight.
This week’s expulsions were “the proper medicine that will start a new chapter to ensure the smooth functioning” of the Hong Kong legislature, the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong said in a statement dated Thursday.
“The decision aims to ensure the normal functioning of the governing bodies … and to better ensure that Hong Kong is governed by Hong Kong people with a high degree of autonomy,” he said.
Britain, which returned Hong Kong to China in 1997, summoned China’s ambassador to London on Thursday, accusing Beijing of breaching international treaty obligations that guaranteed the financial center a special status and a high degree of autonomy.
London has increasingly clashed with China since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong this year.
The European Union called for the “immediate reinstatement” of lawmakers, and Canada said their removal had the effect of “eroding human rights in Hong Kong.”
China rebuffed the criticism, telling a “handful of foreign politicians to catch the trend of the time, keep their hands off China’s internal affairs, stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs in any way, and avoid going down the road. wrong”.
London has already angered Beijing by offering Hong Kong residents holding British national passports abroad a route to UK citizenship by relaxing entry and residency requirements.
Hong Kong’s leader is elected by pro-Beijing committees, but half of the 70 seats in the legislature are directly elected, giving the city’s 7.5 million residents a rare chance to have their voices heard. at the polls.
The expulsions and resignations will leave only two lawmakers out of the pro-Beijing camp, both out of alignment with either bloc.
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