Three rejections and multiple deviations mark Hong Kong Legislative Council swearing-in
Two Youngspiration election winners and one pan-democrat have their oaths rejected, but 11 others add their own wording and face no repercussions
A blue banner bearing the words “Hong Kong is not China” took centre stage as two localist lawmakers used it as a protest prop to pledge loyalty to the “Hong Kong nation” at the opening of the new Legislative Council on Wednesday.
The pair, and a third lawmaker who inserted his own words into the official script, saw their oaths rejected. Four localist and seven pan-democratic legislators protesting similarly played it safer by either shouting slogans or making extra statements before or after taking their oaths as the city’s 70 lawmakers were sworn in.
The oaths of Youngspiration’s Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus Baggio Leung Chun-hang, as well as that of Professionals Guild’s Edward Yiu Chung-yim, were declared invalid by Legco secretary-general Kenneth Chen Wei-on who oversaw the ceremony before Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen was elected president.
Chen ruled that the trio could not participate or vote in Legco meetings and the election of their president on Wednesday afternoon, but his decision was challenged by pan-democrats and localists. University of Hong Kong principal law lecturer Eric Cheung Tat-ming also questioned his action.