Hongkongers want oath-taking controversy resolved under Basic Law, CCTV says

The oath-taking saga of two localist legislators and the National People’s Congress’s (NPC) interpretation of the Basic Law featured prominently in a news programme on state-run CCTV on Monday.

For the first time, CCTV devoted a whole episode of Focus Report to the Legislative Council saga. The programme comes on after CCTV’s prime-time evening newscast.

The report showed footage and pictures of the oath-taking by localist group Youngspiration lawmakers Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching, and of the Occupy Central protests two years ago. The report said the oath-taking flap had damaged Hong Kong’s stability and the territorial integrity of the nation.

It also said that many Hongkongers were dismayed by Leung and Yau, and demanding that the NPC interpret Article 104 of the Basic Law to resolve the controversy.

“China is a strong nation. We as Hong Kong people can feel the glory as Chinese,” said one unidentified Hongkonger in the report. “These two are just exaggerating for the sake of getting attention, and are not qualified to become lawmakers.”

The report said the duo had used the “insulting” term “Chee-na” and shown a banner that said Hong Kong was not China during the oath-taking last month.

The two lawmakers had “openly supported Hong Kong independence and insulted the nation, which violated the constitution, the Basic Law and the laws of Hong Kong”, the report quoted Basic Law Committee member Rao Geping as saying.

Interpreting the Basic Law was in line with the constitution, it added.

Staff reporter