Hong Kong | The Legislative Council (LegCo), Parliament of Hong Kong, met Thursday without any pro-democracy elected, the day after their resignation en bloc which transformed this assembly into a gathering of deputies won for the cause of Beijing, while the communist regime rejected criticism from the West.
These resignations came as the pro-democracy camp and dissidents are the targets of increased repression by local authorities aligned with the Chinese government. This one initiated a strong takeover of the former British colony yet supposed to enjoy a semi-autonomy, a year after the historical demonstrations of which it had been the scene.
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The 15 pro-democracy deputies decided on Wednesday to resign in protest against the ouster of four of their colleagues, in the wake of a resolution taken by the Chinese parliament, which makes it possible to dismiss any lawmaker considered 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 territory’s affairs. The other members are appointed through a convoluted system which almost certainly gives the majority to pro-Beijing.
The LegCo is nonetheless accustomed to virulent political contests, sometimes even clashes between opposing camps. Pro-democracy people have a long tradition of using every obstructionist tactic possible to block bills that do not suit them.
The evictions and resignations mean that there will remain, within the LegCo, only two parliamentarians no longer belonging to the pro-Beijing camp.
In response, the United States on Wednesday threatened China with new sanctions for having “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.
London and Berlin also denounced Wednesday the latest measures taken by President Xi Jinping’s regime.
Asked during a press briefing, the spokesman for Chinese diplomacy, Wang Wenbin, on Thursday rejected the gratuitous accusations of some countries ”.
“Foreign countries have no right to make irresponsible remarks in order to interfere” in the affairs of Hong Kong, he insisted.
Previously, Beijing had criticized the collective resignation of opposition deputies, seeing it as “a farce”.
“We must sternly warn these opposition MPs that this is an ill-calculated attempt to sow confrontation by relying on the interference of foreign forces in order to plunge Hong Kong into chaos,” said the Bureau of Hong Kong and Macao cases, cited by the New China agency.
The repression in Hong Kong materialized by the entry into force this summer of a drastic law on national security, which was imposed by Beijing without a vote on the LegCo, a text described as freedom-killing by its detractors.