The Legislative Council (LegCo) of Hong Kong, the Parliament of the former British colony, is now an assembly composed entirely of deputies who support the cause of Beijing. The Council met Thursday, November 12 without its pro-democracy opposition, since the 15 deputies of this bloc resigned Wednesday to protest against the eviction of four of their colleagues, in the wake of a resolution taken by one of the main China’s legislative committees, which makes it possible to remove any lawmaker deemed to be a threat to national security without even going to court.
“Hong Kongers, get ready for a long, long period where a single voice will be heard in society,” pro-democracy parliamentarian Lam Cheuk-ting told reporters gathered near LegCo on Thursday. “If you are a dissident, prepare for more pressure. The head of the Hong Kong executive (currently Carrie Lam) is chosen by committees acquired in Beijing. But half of the LegCo is elected by direct universal suffrage, which offers Hong Kongers a rare opportunity to have a say in the conduct of the city’s affairs. The other members are appointed through a convoluted system which almost certainly gives the majority to pro-Beijing.
US sanctions against Beijing
The LegCo is nonetheless accustomed to virulent political contests, sometimes even to clashes between opposing camps. Pro-democracy has a long tradition of using every obstruction tactic possible to block bills that are not for them. The evictions and resignations mean that there will only remain, within the LegCo, two people no longer belonging to the pro-Beijing camp.
The United States on Wednesday threatened China with new sanctions for having according to them “flagrantly violated” the autonomy of the former British colony. On Monday, Washington had already imposed sanctions on four additional officials accused of having restricted freedoms there. The repression in Hong Kong materialized with the entry into force this summer of a drastic national security law, which was imposed by Beijing without a vote in LegCo. A text qualified as liberticide by its detractors.
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