Beijing shows Hong Kong it won’t tolerate any challenges to national sovereignty
Bernard Chan says the central government’s latest interpretation of the Basic Law is a wake-up call to all in the SAR about how seriously the leadership takes territorial integrity
Why Beijing saw fit to interpret Hong Kong’s Basic Law
Many people – maybe most – simply did not realise how seriously Chinese leaders take issues related to separatism and national security. We are used to hearing Beijing officials talk about these concerns. But we do not usually connect them with Hong Kong.
We now know better.
Hong Kong needs a clear-eyed view of Beijing’s powers under the Basic Law
They became even angrier recently as they saw young radicals who openly called for independence taking part in the Legislative Council election. When two of the radicals used the oath-taking ceremony to call for an independent Hong Kong and insult China and Chinese people, it was the last straw. It was not acceptable.
Officials in Beijing were not prepared to wait for a judicial review – which could drag out – to examine whether the two could retake their oaths. Hong Kong had to understand that a major line had been crossed.