It is now impossible to sustain China’s characterisation of Hong Kong as operating under a “one country, two systems” political dispensation. The last vestiges of the 1997 promises Beijing would preserve the former colony’s political autonomy until 2047 have been shredded. Its latest legislative diktat on Wednesday bars from Hong Kong’s legislative council anyone who supports independence, opposes the national security law, refuses to recognise Beijing’s sovereignty, seeks help from “foreign countries” or commits “other acts that endanger national security”. An official statement that Hong Kong had to be “governed by patriots” confirmed as much. One of their number, Claudia Mo, was defiant: “We are quitting the legislature only at this juncture, we are not quitting Hong Kong’s democracy fight”.

Source: The Irish Times November 12, 2020 18:11 UTC