Hong Kong councillors swear new loyalty oath to China
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
HONG KONG • Dozens of local community politicians in Hong Kong have sworn a newly required loyalty oath to China after hundreds of their colleagues quit in protest as the authorities try to purge the city of "unpatriotic" elements.
District councils are the only political office in Hong Kong where all seats are directly elected by residents. They deal with local issues such as bus routes, trash collection and playgrounds. But they have also become a symbol of residents' urge for a greater say in how their city is run.
In late 2019, towards the end of months of huge democracy protests, opposition candidates critical of China's rule won by a landslide, hammering pro-government candidates.
China has since responded with a crackdown on dissent as well as an overhaul of the city's political system that reduces the number of directly elected officials and vets politicians for their perceived patriotism.
Twenty-five councillors were told to take their oaths in a closed-door ceremony yesterday, but only 24 of them attended the event.
Similar ceremonies have been held for other sectors, including civil servants, government officials and lawmakers. However, those who swear allegiance can still be disqualified.
Under the new rules imposed by Beijing this year, a national security committee can disqualify anyone deemed an "anti-China" element or disloyal.
"If we have doubts on certain councillors' oath-taking and could not completely trust whether they have pledged loyalty and allegiance, we will give them the opportunity to explain... If their oaths are invalid in the end, they will be disqualified," Chief Executive Carrie Lam said earlier this week.
Some 180 district councillors are expected to take their oaths in the coming weeks and those who refuse to attend will lose their seats.
However, a majority of the elected district councillors have simply quit rather than adhere to the vetting process. So far, 260 - more than half of the 452 elected members - have resigned.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE