How Beijing extending Hong Kong’s Legislative Council term sparked challenges for city’s two political camps

Source says option for a provisional term following polls postponement is ‘simplest and least controversial way’ to let city focus on battling pandemic

Opposition unsure on boycott, while pro-establishment bloc caught off guard with four disqualified rival lawmakers set to stay on

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Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, presides over a meeting of the body in June. Photo: Xinhua/Shen Hong

Published: 10:00pm, 12 Aug 2020Updated: 11:47pm, 12 Aug 2020

Beijing wanted to minimise any “distraction or possible political reverberations” in Hong Kong as it unexpectedly allowed four opposition lawmakers recently barred from seeking re-election to serve out an extended term in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, the Post has learned.

The central government chose the option because it was the “simplest and least controversial way” to let the city focus on battling the coronavirus pandemic, according to a mainland source familiar with the city’s affairs.

The insiders’ explanation of the central government’s lenient approach came as opposition lawmakers revealed they remained undecided on whether to serve the extended year.

Activists had earlier called for the pan-democrats to resign en masse if Beijing decided to establish a provisional legislature of appointed members, or banned the four lawmakers from the chamber in the coming year.

There are different views even within major parties in the pan-democratic camp

Opposition lawmaker

But now with China’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), avoiding controversy, opposition politicians have found themselves in a dilemma.

If they choose to serve their extended term, they could risk the camp’s internal unity and also have to explain their stance that Beijing had contravened the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, which only allows four years for a Legco term.