China’s disqualification of Hong Kong MPs ‘undermines democracy’, says Payne

The Foreign Affairs Minister blasts new powers allowing the disqualification of Legislative Council lawmakers deemed disloyal.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne has slammed China’s move to disqualify MPs ruled not sufficiently loyal to Beijing. Picture: Sean Davey.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne has accused China of undermining Hong Kong’s democracy and autonomy with new powers allowing the disqualification of MPs who are not deemed sufficiently loyal to Beijing.

China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee passed a resolution on Wednesday that Hong Kong MPs be disqualified if they support independence for the special administrative region, refuse to acknowledge China’s sovereignty over the city, or ask external forces to interfere in the city’s affairs.

Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam’s government immediately banished four legislators following the resolution on Wednesday, prompting the remaining 15 opposition members in the 70-seat Legislative Council to resign en masse.

Senator Payne said the world was watching developments in Hong Kong, and urged “a consistent focus on human rights and the principles of freedom, transparency, autonomy and the rule of law”.

“Beijing’s disqualification of duly elected Legislative Council lawmakers seriously undermines Hong Kong’s democratic processes and institutions, as well as the high degree of autonomy set out in the Basic Law and Sino-British Joint Declaration,” she said.

“The disqualifications follow the arrests of current and former pro-democracy lawmakers in Hong Kong over an incident in the Legislative Council in May this year.

“Australia calls on authorities to allow the Legislative Council to fulfil its role as the primary forum for popular political expression in Hong Kong, and to remain a key pillar of the rule of law and the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ framework.

“This is critical to maintaining international confidence in Hong Kong.”

The four representatives had previously been banned from standing in the city’s elections after calling for the United States to impose sanctions on Hong Kong officials.

Ms Lam defended the disqualifications saying they were “constitutional, legal, reasonable and necessary”.

China’s foreign ministry said they were a “necessary measure in order to maintain the rule of law in Hong Kong”.