{Pro-China politicians stage walk out of legislative session to halt swearing-in of two pro-independence lawmakers.}<\/p>\n
Dozens of pro-Beijing politicians have staged a walk-out from the Hong Kong legislature to stall the swearing in of two pro-independence legislators in the Chinese-administered city.<\/p>\n
The topic of independence has long been taboo in the former British colony, now governed under the “one country, two systems” principle since its return to China in 1997.<\/p>\n
The government failed in an unprecedented legal attempt on Tuesday to halt the swearing-in of the two.<\/p>\n
The politicians marched out of the legislative chamber, leaving Chinese and Hong Kong flags in their place, to deprive it of a quorum.<\/p>\n
It is unclear when swearing-in will take place.<\/p>\n
Al Jazeera’s Sarah Clarke, reporting from the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, said: “In an unprecedented move, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive C Y Leung has intervened in this whole process. He’s trying to get two of the pro-democracy candidates disqualified from parliament.<\/p>\n
“Leung’s case is being mounted on the grounds that he believes last week’s oath-taking was invalid and disrespectful to Hong Kong’s basic law.”<\/p>\n
The government will formally challenge the decision of legislative authorities to allow Baggio Leung, 30, and Yau Wai-ching, 25, to retake their oaths in the High Court next month.<\/p>\n
Yau and Leung sparked outrage among Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing establishment when their first oaths were rejected by legislative officials last week.<\/p>\n
‘Hong Kong is not China’<\/p>\n
Then they pledged allegiance to the “Hong Kong nation” and displayed a banner declaring that “Hong Kong is not China”, using language some legislators portrayed as derogatory Japanese slang.<\/p>\n
The pair are part of a new generation of Hong Kong activists determined to force issues of self-determination and independence on to the mainstream political agenda.<\/p>\n
A judicial review will take place on November 3.<\/p>\n
Outside, hundreds of pro-Beijing protesters thronged the grounds of the legislature, some carrying placards of the pair dressed in Japanese army uniforms that denounced them as “traitors” and “dogs”.<\/p>\n
Others chanted that the pair must step down to protect China’s “dignity”.<\/p>\n
The judicial review looms amid an unprecedented constitutional battle in the free-wheeling global financial hub, testing its rule of law and the separation of powers between the government and legislative branch.<\/p>\n
Some senior judges and government officials fear privately that the issue could force Beijing to invoke rarely used powers to re-interpret Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, or push through new laws.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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