Beijing’s attack on Hong Kong opposition viewed as ‘taste of what’s to come’ as attention pivots from coronavirus to city’s legislative elections
- Beijing’s top representatives have accused the opposition of paralysing the city’s governance with filibustering tactics in the legislature
- Pan-democrats say the criticism oversteps the central government’s authority and comes just months before residents head to the polls
A fight that has erupted between Beijing’s top representatives on Hong Kong affairs and the opposition camp is putting the legislature squarely at the heart of an escalating struggle for power in the city, with just months to go before an election that could upend the political landscape.
The House Committee sets the agenda for weekly council meetings, deciding the dates when certain bills are to be put forward for a final vote.
The answer comes down to the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, the scope of which the central government has increasingly defined in response to a surging localist movement calling for greater self-determination.
A Beijing insider said the top leadership could not stand by while the city’s basic ability to govern was at stake, and warned even further criticism might lie ahead, while a mainland legal expert cautioned the comments reflected a growing frustration over the pro-establishment camp’s failure to produce results even with a legislative majority.