HONG KONG (AFP) – Two Hong Kong lawmakers who advocate a split from China should be banned from taking up their seats, government lawyers argued in court Thursday, as concerns grow Beijing will wade into the escalating row.
Widespread fears that China is tightening its grip on the semi-autonomous city are fuelling an independence movement in Hong Kong.
As a judicial review seeking to disqualify Yau Wai-ching and Baggio Leung from the legislature kicked off at Hong Kong’s High Court Thursday, the government’s counsel insisted authorities had not asked Beijing to step in.
“The issues… should be solved in the judicial system,” said lawyer Benjamin Yu.
The city’s leader Leung Chun-ying, who brought the case against the pair, said earlier this week he could not rule out the possibility that Beijing might get involved.
Newly elected lawmaker Baggio Leung (C, wearing glasses) is restrained by security after attempting to read out his Legislative Council oath at Legco in Hong Kong on November 2. – AFP
Local media reports say China’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), could issue an “interpretation” of Hong Kong’s constitution on Monday relating to the case.
But Yu said the Hong Kong government had not received any confirmation of that happening.
He argued Baggio and Yau should not be allowed to take up their seats in the Legislative Council (Legco) — the city’s lawmaking body — because they failed to swear allegiance to Hong Kong as an “inalienable part of China” at an oath-taking ceremony three weeks ago.
Instead, they draped themselves in “Hong Kong is not China” flags and altered the wording of their oaths, including derogatory terms and expletives.
“Our case is that Leung and Yau have been duly requested to take the Legco oath on October 12 this year and they have declined,” Yu told the court.
“If you do not believe Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China then you have no business in Legco,” he added.
The post Hong Kong rebel lawmakers in court over oath battle appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.