China’s strike on Democracy in Hong Kong – City’s pro-Democracy legislators resign in protest

Pro-democracy legislators Wu Chi-Wai, Claudia Mo, Lam Cheuk-ting and several others have resigned from the Legislative Council after Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, Kwok Ka-ki, Kenneth Leung and Dennis Kwok were disqualified when China passed a new resolution on 11, 2020

In a major jolt to China’s machinations in the island nation, pro-democracy legislators of the Hong Kong parliament have tendered their resignations. They formally tendered their resignation on Thursday in protest against the dismissal of four of their colleagues. https://in.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-security/hong-kong-opposition-lawmakers-expected-to-formally-tender-resignations-in-protest-over-oustings-idUSKBN27S04P

The dismissals came after China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee passed a resolution allowing Hong Kong’s government to dismiss politicians who supported democracy and independence. China’s resolution enabled the local government to dismiss anyone who refused to acknowledge China’s sovereignty, fight to retain democracy in Hong Kong or ask foreign countries to interfere in the city’s affairs. Any of these activities is seen by China as a ‘threat’ to national security.

Soon after China passed the resolution,  the local government announced the disqualification of four assembly members who were already barred from running for re-election as the pro-China authorities deemed their pledge of allegiance to Hong Kong was ‘not sincere’.

World responds to Hong Kong resignations

In a statement issued to the media after the episode, Chris Patten, the city’s last British governor said, “This is yet another example of the Chinese Communist Party trampling on what is left of democracy in Hong Kong. Once again, (President) Xi Jinping’s regime has demonstrated its total hostility to democratic accountability, and those who wish to stand up for it.”

Britain’s Foreign Minister Dominic Raab said the expulsions constituted an assault on Hong Kong’s freedoms.

U.S. national security adviser Robert O’Brien said the resolution and dismissal showed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had flagrantly violated its international commitments. “One Country, Two Systems is now merely a fig leaf covering for the CCP’s expanding one party dictatorship in Hong Kong,” O’Brien said.

Leaders from Germany and Australia too have condemned the anti-democratic resolution of China and the dismissal of Hong Kong legislators. 

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