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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/07/china-bans-hong-kong-pro-independence-politicians-crisis-grows
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| China bans Hong Kong pro-democracy politicians as crisis grows | China bans Hong Kong pro-democracy politicians as crisis grows |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hong Kong was facing a severe political crisis on Monday after China barred two pro-independence lawmakers from the city’s legislature. | Hong Kong was facing a severe political crisis on Monday after China barred two pro-independence lawmakers from the city’s legislature. |
| In a highly controversial move that struck a blow to a burgeoning movement calling for greater autonomy from the mainland, Beijing said the two lawmakers would not be able to hold office. | In a highly controversial move that struck a blow to a burgeoning movement calling for greater autonomy from the mainland, Beijing said the two lawmakers would not be able to hold office. |
| The ruling is expected to spark renewed street protests in the former British colony. | The ruling is expected to spark renewed street protests in the former British colony. |
| During a chaotic swearing-in ceremony last month, the two newly elected lawmakers, Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus “Baggio” Leung, thumbed their noses at Beijing by refusing to declare their allegiance to China and carrying blue flags reading: “Hong Kong is not China.” | During a chaotic swearing-in ceremony last month, the two newly elected lawmakers, Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus “Baggio” Leung, thumbed their noses at Beijing by refusing to declare their allegiance to China and carrying blue flags reading: “Hong Kong is not China.” |
| The pair’s oaths are invalid and they will not be able to retake them, China’s rubberstamp legislature said, one day after thousands marched through the streets of Hong Kong protesting Beijing’s interference. | The pair’s oaths are invalid and they will not be able to retake them, China’s rubberstamp legislature said, one day after thousands marched through the streets of Hong Kong protesting Beijing’s interference. |
| Those wishing to hold public office must “sincerely and solemnly” declare allegiance to China, it said. | Those wishing to hold public office must “sincerely and solemnly” declare allegiance to China, it said. |
| Legislators must swear allegiance to “the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China”, according to the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution. | Legislators must swear allegiance to “the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China”, according to the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution. |
| “Since the Legislative Council elections, some people have been advocating independence and saying they want to do it in Legco,” Li Fei, chairman of the Basic Law committee at China’s parliament, said at a press conference announcing the decision. “The interpretation today will help to defend national unity and sovereignty.” | “Since the Legislative Council elections, some people have been advocating independence and saying they want to do it in Legco,” Li Fei, chairman of the Basic Law committee at China’s parliament, said at a press conference announcing the decision. “The interpretation today will help to defend national unity and sovereignty.” |
| Any calls for “self-determination” amounted to advocating for independence, with both standing at odds with the Basic Law, Li added. | Any calls for “self-determination” amounted to advocating for independence, with both standing at odds with the Basic Law, Li added. |
| He warned allowing independence talk to go unchecked would harm territorial integrity, national security and competitiveness. | He warned allowing independence talk to go unchecked would harm territorial integrity, national security and competitiveness. |
| The Chinese government “is determined to firmly confront the pro-independence forces without any ambiguity,” he added. | The Chinese government “is determined to firmly confront the pro-independence forces without any ambiguity,” he added. |
| The decision in unlikely to silence calls in Hong Kong for greater autonomy and independence | The decision in unlikely to silence calls in Hong Kong for greater autonomy and independence |
| Emily Lau, a veteran member of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp, said Beijing had decided to intervene because it feared the spread of independence to regions such as Tibet and Xinjiang where there is longstanding resistance to the Communist party’s rule. | Emily Lau, a veteran member of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy camp, said Beijing had decided to intervene because it feared the spread of independence to regions such as Tibet and Xinjiang where there is longstanding resistance to the Communist party’s rule. |
| Lau, the chairwoman of Hong Kong’s Democratic party, said that by preventing Leung and Yau from taking up their seats Beijing hoped to nip Hong Kong’s independence movement in the bud. “But you can’t nip it because there are many students in secondary schools and in universities who support the idea,” she said. | |
| “So what Beijing should be asking is not so much, ‘How do we get rid of it?’ It is, ‘How come our young people – and even those who are not so young – how come they advocate [independence]?’” | |
| “That is the way of solving the problem, not trying to suppress it. Because the harder you suppress, the more they will rise up,” she added. | |
| After the UK handed Hong Kong to China in 1997, the city maintained its own laws, courts and freedoms not enjoyed in mainland China, under a framework known as “one country, two systems”. | After the UK handed Hong Kong to China in 1997, the city maintained its own laws, courts and freedoms not enjoyed in mainland China, under a framework known as “one country, two systems”. |
| But many in Hong Kong complain those freedoms have been eroded in recent years, leading to nearly three months of street protests in 2014 and leading to the election of six lawmakers pushing for greater autonomy for the city. | But many in Hong Kong complain those freedoms have been eroded in recent years, leading to nearly three months of street protests in 2014 and leading to the election of six lawmakers pushing for greater autonomy for the city. |
| About 13,000 marched on Sunday to protest China’s intervention, ending in clashes with police outside Beijing’s main presence in the city and four arrests. | About 13,000 marched on Sunday to protest China’s intervention, ending in clashes with police outside Beijing’s main presence in the city and four arrests. |
| China’s move to bar the two young legislators sets up a new battle between pro-Beijing and pro-democracy camps as a fresh round of elections will be held to replace Leung and Yau. | China’s move to bar the two young legislators sets up a new battle between pro-Beijing and pro-democracy camps as a fresh round of elections will be held to replace Leung and Yau. |