- Title: China will 'contain and strike down on' Hong Kong independence forces
- Date: 7th November 2016
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (NOVEMBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) CHINA'S NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS NEWS CONFERENCE STARTING MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) OFFICIAL OF CHINA'S NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS STANDING COMMITTEE, LI FEI, SAYING: "A few elected members during the swearing-in ceremony openly insulted the country and the people, seriously damaged the swearing-in ceremony and seriously disrupted the normal activities of the legislative council. (They) completely revealed their attempts to split the country, and damage Hong Kong's prosperity and stability." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) OFFICIAL OF CHINA'S NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS STANDING COMMITTEE, LI FEI, SAYING: "Attempts at Hong Kong independence will split the country and seriously go against the policy of one country, two systems, seriously go against the constitution and the basic law, seriously go against the related laws of the Hong Kong Special Region. If not contained and struck down in a timely manner, (it) will seriously damage the country's sovereignty, safety and development interests." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) OFFICIAL OF CHINA'S NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS STANDING COMMITTEE, LI FEI, SAYING: "The central government is paying a great deal of attention to the huge danger Hong Kong independence forces pose to Hong Kong and the country. While containing and striking down on Hong Kong independence forces in line with the law, we will resolutely protect the core interests of the country and the basic interests of the Hong Kong Special Region. The central government's attitude is firm and clear, unambiguous and unchangeable." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS EXTERIOR OF THE GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE
- Embargoed: 22nd November 2016 06:41
- Keywords: China Hong Kong independence basic law mini constitution
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00157G2P8L
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: China's parliament says Hong Kong independence activities will be struck down and contained, following its issuing of an interpretation of the basic law on Monday (November 7).
The ruling is expected to bar two activist lawmakers from taking office in Hong Kong and is Beijing's most direct intervention in the territory's legal and political system since the 1997 handover.
"A few elected members during the swearing-in ceremony openly insulted the country and the people, seriously damaged the swearing-in ceremony and seriously disrupted the normal activities of the legislative council. (They) completely revealed their attempts to split the country, and damage Hong Kong's prosperity and stability," said Li Fei, an official with China's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress.
"Attempts at Hong Kong independence will split the country and seriously go against the policy of one country, two systems, seriously go against the constitution and the basic law, seriously go against the related laws of the Hong Kong Special Region. If not contained and struck down in a timely manner, (it) will seriously damage the country's sovereignty, safety and development interests," Li added.
The intervention relates to Article 104 of the city's mini-constitution, which states that lawmakers must swear allegiance to Hong Kong as part of China when they take office.
"While containing and striking down on Hong Kong independence forces in line with the law, we will resolutely protect the core interests of the country and the basic interests of the Hong Kong Special Region. The central government's attitude is firm and clear, unambiguous and unchangeable," Li said.
While the controversial decision effectively bars the two pro-independence Hong Kong politicians from being sworn in, a court in the Chinese-ruled city must still rule on the case, taking Beijing's decision into consideration.
The move was expected to enrage Hong Kong democracy activists further, a day after hundreds of demonstrators clashed with police in running battles around China's representative office in Hong Kong.
The scenes on Sunday (November 6) night were reminiscent of pro-democracy protests in late 2014 that paralyzed parts of the Asian financial centre and posed one of the greatest political challenges to the central government in Beijing in decades. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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