Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers resign en masse after Beijing moves to quash dissent

[Eugene]

Source: CNN

Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers resign en masse after Beijing moves to quash dissent

By Helen Regan, Ben Westcott and Jadyn Sham, CNN
Updated 0449 GMT (1249 HKT) November 12, 2020

Hong Kong (CNN) — The entirety of Hong Kong's elected pro-democracy opposition announced its intention to resign Wednesday in protest over the expulsion of four lawmakers, after Beijing passed a resolution giving local authorities broad new powers to quash dissent.

The resolution, passed by China's highest legislative body, allows Hong Kong's executive to expel elected lawmakers directly without having to go through the courts, cementing Beijing's control and likely signaling the end of organized political opposition in the semi-autonomous territory.

Under the new ruling, lawmakers who are deemed to promote or support Hong Kong independence, or who refuse to acknowledge Beijing's sovereignty, will "immediately lose their qualifications," the resolution said.

It also applies to elected lawmakers who "seek foreign forces to intervene in the affairs of Hong Kong, or who have endangered national security" and who "fail to uphold the Basic Law" -- the city's mini constitution -- as well as those who are deemed "not loyal to the legal requirements and conditions" of the territory.

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Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/11/asia/hong-kong-lawmakers-unseated-china-intl-hnk/index.html

[janterry]

1. I blame trump for this

It's not clear that he could have prevented it, but it is clear that he might have.