'Idiots' claim as Beijing man steps up attack
Top News | Phoenix Un 14 Nov 2016Beijing's top man in Hong Kong, Zhang Xiaoming, has accused pro- independence lawmakers of treating Hong Kong people like idiots as he stepped up the attack over the oath- taking saga.
The director of Beijing's Liaison Office in Hong Kong said the National People's Congress Standing Committee interpreted the Basic Law because some legislators-elect spread the idea of independence with language, behavior, costumes and props during oath-taking, and some even "insulted the country and Chinese nation" with swear words.
"Unless they treat all people as idiots, they can't deny that they had violated the oath-taking process and blasphemed the oath," Zhang said at the 70th anniversary ceremony of the pro-Beijing Pui Kiu Middle School.
Zhang slammed the legislators involved for seriously impacting the bottom line of "one country, two systems," and violating the national constitution.
He did not name the legislators but Beijing's interpretation of Basic Law's Article 104 effectively bars Youngspiration legislators-elect Sixtus Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching from taking office. Eight other opposition lawmakers also could be disqualified.
"Can the central government sit and watch, remaining indifferent?" Zhang said. "NPCSC promptly taking the initiative to interpret the Basic Law is necessary and in accordance with law."
If it had not done so, it would not be "fully enforcing the law and would be indulging treason."
Zhang added: "Judicial independence cannot override the power the central government legally possesses, and one should not resist the central government with judicial independence."
The interpretation was the only choice for Beijing as the SAR government had no other way to stop legislators from pushing for independence in the Legislative Council.
Separately, Basic Law Committee member Albert Chen Hung-yee said if independence advocacy continues, Beijing would no longer find one country, two systems suitable and would change to "one country, one system."
Beijing meant to send a political message by interpreting the Basic Law, to prevent independence advocates from becoming legislators.
"The central government expressed its stance on independence, but also with legal needs," said Chen, also a University of Hong Kong law professor.
Meanwhile at City Forum, legislator "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung said comments by Beijing figures about costumes and props legislators used when taking oaths had no legal power.
He said he was worried that some legislators who passed the threshold of oath-taking can be disqualified in the future for saying something against their oath.
National People's Congress Hong Kong deputy Chan Yung said interpretation was a problem for the nation and "a matter of life and death."
Leung said: "During the Cultural Revolution they said it was life and death, then they beat down Liu Shaoqi [then president of China]; it was life and death again in 1989, and they massacred pro-democracy students."
A standing committee member of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Cheung Sin-ying, said if the eight legislators were disqualified, Legco will have no checks on the government.
