Opposition ‘distorting Basic Law’
Certain opposition politicians are deliberately distorting the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by criticizing the central authorities’ comments on the impasse in the Legislative Council as “interference” in the city’s internal affairs, the central government’s liaison office in Hong Kong noted.
In fact, what truly constitutes “interference” is their begging foreign governments to meddle in Hong Kong’s affairs, which are also China’s internal affairs, a spokesperson for the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region said in an online statement on Friday.
The remarks came after the LegCo’s House Committee again failed to elect a chairperson at its 15th meeting of the current legislative year due to the opposition camp’s filibustering. The deadlock has stalled the committee’s operations for more than half a year.
On Monday, the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR denounced the politicians for failing to perform their duties in public office.
But, a handful of people called the criticism an “interference” in the city’s internal affairs. They accused the two agencies of violating Article 22 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong SAR, which stipulates that no departments of the central government may interfere in the affairs which the SAR government administers on its own in accordance with the Basic Law.
The liaison office pointed out that the two offices are different from central government departments as prescribed by the article in the general sense. They are dedicated departments specifically empowered by the central authorities to be in charge of handling Hong Kong affairs, it said.
Thus the liaison office said it’s “absolutely right and legitimate” for the two central government bodies in charge of Hong Kong affairs to comment on the issue. It’s not only their duty to do so, but also in line with the rights granted by the nation’s Constitution and the SAR’s Basic Law, the office stressed.
SAR’s high degree of autonomy, including the right to pass legislation, was empowered by the central authorities, and it’s obvious they have the right to supervise the powers they have granted to the SAR, the office said.
Yet, some people who understand the logic have cited the Basic Law in accusing the two central government organizations of meddling in the city’s affairs. They have deliberately distorted the Basic Law and misled the public, the office pointed out.
The spokesperson said those who have, in fact, undermined Hong Kong people’s benefits are those politicians who collude with foreign forces to impair the SAR’s law-based governance.
For quite a long time, especially during Hong Kong’s months-long social unrest, some opposition politicians had frequently begged foreign governments to intervene in the city’s internal affairs.
They had even gone as far as asking these countries to cancel the SAR’s status as an independent economic entity, restrict exports of high-tech products to Hong Kong, and demanded that stricter sanctions be imposed on Hong Kong.
Such conduct has brazenly betrayed Hong Kong people and the nation and breached the bottom line of “one country, two systems”, it said.
Hong Kong opposition lawmaker Dennis Kwok Wing-hang came under renewed criticism on Friday after the Legislative Council’s House Committee again failed to elect a chairman following an extra 40-minute meeting presided over by Kwok, the 15th so far in the legislative year.
LegCo President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen expressed deep disappointment and regret that the deadlock remains unsolved after more than six months due to the opposition’s filibustering.
He said the impasse has severely impeded the legislature’s operations and the proper exercise of its constitutional functions under the Basic Law. “The situation is far from satisfactory, falling short of public expectations,” Leung said.
Hong Kong is facing unprecedented challenge and economic hardship, with only three months to go before the LegCo’s prorogation, Leung said. All bills will lapse at the end of the current term, resulting in a serious wastage of public resources, he added.
Leung appealed to all lawmakers to put aside their differences, act in the best interests of the community, fulfill their constitutional duties, and work out a solution sensibly to allow the legislature to function effectively.
Current chairperson of the House Committee Starry Lee Waiking has written to all legislators to seek ways of ending the deadlock.
Tam Yiu-chung, a Hong Kong member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and a former local legislator, said Kwok, who has been chairing the committee meetings, and his peers in the opposition camp have been acting “shamelessly”.
He said that under the Rules of Procedure, lawmakers can table a motion of no confidence in Kwok, or amend the procedure to replace him. But, such a move could be used by the opposition to further impede meetings.
Lawmakers might have to wait and see what action the LegCo president might take to enable normal operations to resume, he said.
Tam hopes the public can voice their opposition against Kwok’s wrongdoings, as the House Committee’s malfunctioning would affect the benefits of Hong Kong people.
Several legislators of the pro-establishment camp joined in criticizing Kwok for paralyzing the council’s operations by filibustering and thwarting its proceedings.
Legislator and convener of the pro-establishment camp Martin Liao Cheung-kong described the situation as “extremely abnormal” with a malfunctioning House Committee preventing LegCo from fulfilling its obligations stipulated in the Basic Law.
Lawmaker and member of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions Michael Luk Chung-hung urged Kwok and the opposition camp to stop paralyzing LegCo and the city, and allow the process of electing the House Committee chairman to proceed without hindrance.
An important function of the House Committee, which consists of all lawmakers, except the president, is to scrutinize bills and subsidiary legislation tabled at council meetings for approval.
Failure to elect a chairperson has resulted in 14 bills being held up and the expiration of 89 pieces of legislation, which address issues relating to various social and economic sectors, including hotels, insurance, taxation and public affairs, as well as intellectual property rights.