[ad_1]
Pro-democracy politicians in Hong Kong have resigned en masse after four of them were disqualified under a Chinese-imposed law that prohibits advocates of independence from holding public office.
Authorities in Hong Kong It said in a statement that the four lawmakers – Kwok Ka-ki, Alvin Yeung, Dennis Kwok and Kenneth Leung – were expelled from the assembly for endangering national security.
All 19 opposition members previously said they would resign in protest.
Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, Kwok Ka-ki, Kenneth Leung and Dennis Kwok speak to the media after they were disqualified
The ban on the four followed meetings of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The body passed a resolution to disqualify those who support Hong Kong’s independence or refuse to recognize China’s sovereignty over the city, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua said.
The new law also prohibits asking outsiders to interfere in the affairs of the region, as well as any act that threatens national security.
Wu Chi-wai, convener of the pro-democracy group in parliament, told the press conference: “Today we will resign from our posts, because our partners, our colleagues, have been disqualified by the ruthless action of the central government.
“We face many difficulties in the future for the fight for democracy, but we will never, never give up,” he said.
In a press conference confirming his disqualification, Dennis Kwok said: “From our point of view, this is clearly a violation of basic law and our right to participate in public affairs, and a breach of due process.”
Use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, said lawmakers who are unable to uphold the basic law and pledge allegiance to Hong Kong should be disqualified as lawmakers in a briefing on Wednesday.
Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said it is necessary to uphold the rule of law and uphold and enhance the “one country, two systems principle”, which defines Hong Kong’s relationship with China.
The massive resignation leaves Hong Kong’s parliament with only pro-Beijing lawmakers, who already make up the majority in the chamber.
House elections, to be held in September, were postponed for a year by Ms Lam, who blamed the coronavirus pandemic.
But critics argued he was concerned that the opposition would win seats after more than 600,000 people participated in an unofficial pro-democracy primary.
Last month, Beijing made it a crime to insult or denigrate your national flag, something that has happened during the massive protests against Beijing that have been seen in Hong Kong for much of the past year.
The demonstrations were initially sparked by opposition to a proposed extradition law, and later withdrawn, but later expanded to include demands for greater democracy and criticism of Chinaefforts to tighten control over the former British colony.
The United States has withdrawn the commercial privileges granted to Hong Kong and other governments: including UK – They have suspended extradition and other agreements in protest at the situation in Hong Kong.
Analysis: Beijing tightens its grip
By Tom Cheshire, Asia Correspondent
The British government previously warned that Hong Kong’s freedoms were eroding.
To that extent, this was half the cliff falling into the sea.
All the opposition members of the Legislative Council, Hong Kong’s parliament, have resigned after the government disqualified four of its members.
A decree came from Beijing and, with it, the effective end of the political opposition in Hong Kong, for the first time since the handover in 1997.
The Chinese government ruled today that the government of the region can remove any legislator found to be in breach of Hong Kong law and swearing allegiance to the region, without involving the city’s courts.
The four opposition lawmakers had already been disqualified from running in the next postponed elections for the Legislative Council, for asking foreign governments to sanction Beijing and Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s chief executive argued at a press conference today: “It seems illogical to allow people who do not respect basic law or pledge allegiance to Hong Kong SAR to continue to be members of LegCo.”
The four disqualified lawmakers said they would consult their lawyers about a challenge in court, and they may have a case: the reasons for disqualifying a candidate from the elections are not the same as for removing a member of parliament.
But the legal distinction is probably marginal compared to the broader reality: Beijing is in control of Hong Kong, and every day that control seems to tighten.
Without any official political representation, the only other places for opposition are protest.
This year, however, Hong Kong has not seen the mass demonstrations, which often turned violent, of last year.
There are two reasons for that. COVID-19 rules have prevented mass gatherings, even as Hong Kong continues to record daily case numbers in the single digits.
Second, the comprehensive new National Security Law, imposed directly by Beijing, has dramatically raised the costs of the protest.
Anyone convicted of “secession” or “subversion” can face life in prison, and the cases can be tried in mainland China.
A cadre from the Communist Party of China described the National Security Law as a “sharp sword” looming over the city.
Today he showed that there are a thousand different ways to cut.
