I am one of the 24 members of LegCo from the pro-democracy camp, out of a total of 70 legislators. During LegCo’s current term, the government had already disqualified a total of six elected pro-democracy legislators, essentially arguing that their allegiance to the idea that Hong Kong is an integral part of China was in doubt. So what should pro-democracy legislators do? In the lead-up to Hong Kong’s handover from Britain to China in 1997, a provisional Legislature was established to transition away from colonial-era institutions. Many saw it as undemocratic — its members were selected by a Beijing-appointed committee — and the pro-democracy camp at the time refused to take part.

Source: International New York Times August 02, 2020 16:52 UTC