Hong Kong Leader Explains Ousting of Lawmakers Deemed Unpatriotic

Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam explained the government's move to disqualify four pro-democracy lawmakers after China passed a law allowing the disqualification of officials deemed unpatriotic.

“4 incumbent Legislative Council members were being ruled as not fulfilling the nomination criteria," said Lam. "They could not fulfill the conditions in the declaration that they are pledging allegiance to the Hong Kong SAR and the Basic Law.”

She added that the move had "very little to do with filibustering."

Hong Kong’s opposition bloc planned to resign on Wednesday after China moved to disqualify unpatriotic lawmakers, one of Beijing’s strongest moves yet to quash dissent in the territory.

More than a dozen members of the pro-democracy camp of the 70-seat Legislative Council will quit at a press conference later Wednesday following the disqualification of four members under Beijing’s new rules, democratic politician Fernando Cheung said by phone.

“This move makes it clear that dictatorship has descended on to Hong Kong and that Chinese Communist Party can eradicate all opposing voices in the legislature,” Cheung said. “There’s no more separation of powers, no more ‘one country, two systems,’ and therefore no more Hong Kong as we know it.”

China’s top legislative body earlier passed a measure requiring Hong Kong lawmakers to be patriots, curbing debate in a democratic institution that has endured more than two decades after the former British colony’s return. The decision of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee is “conducive to the long-term peace and stability, as well as prosperity and development of Hong Kong,” Chairman Li Zhanshu said at the close of its two-day meeting.

Offenses included supporting Hong Kong independence, refusing to recognize China’s sovereignty over the city, asking foreign countries to intervene, failing to uphold the territory’s Basic Law or pledge allegiance to Hong Kong and “engaging in any other acts that endanger national security,” Chief Executive Carrie Lam said.

“We need to have a political body that’s composed of patriots,” Lam said at a briefing on Wednesday, adding that Hong Kong planned to introduce legislation to formalize the process and spell out legal consequences for violators. She dismissed concerns that Hong Kong would have a “rubber-stamp” legislature if the pro-democracy members resigned, saying she welcomes “diverse opinion” in the legislature.

The resolution is the latest sign of China’s determination to rein in dissent in the wake of anti-government protests that rocked Hong Kong last year. Beijing bypassed the Legislative Council to impose controversial national security legislation in June, causing the Group of Seven nations to accuse China of violating the terms of its handover agreement with the U.K. and prompting the Trump administration to sanction more than a dozen senior officials who oversee the city.

A mass resignation would highlight international concerns about China’s human rights practices just as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office on a promise to defend democratic values around the world. He has vowed to “fully enforce” legislation signed by President Donald Trump that punishes Beijing for eroding Hong Kong’s autonomy.

The ability to purge opposition lawmakers would make it easier for Hong Kong’s Beijing-backed politicians to control the Legislative Council if they win an unprecedented majority in elections that the government has postponed -- citing coronavirus concerns -- over the protests of democracy advocates.

The move by Beijing will demolish any opposition in the legislature and allow the Hong Kong government to ram through even more restrictive measures in the coming years, said Ivan Choy, a senior lecturer at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

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