Mainland bodies have duty to ‘supervise’, ‘set things right’ in Hong Kong, Beijing’s foreign affairs arm in city says
- ‘Only natural’ for central government agencies to weigh in on opposition’s ‘attempt to hijack Legco’, foreign affairs office says
- Meanwhile, pro-establishment lawmaker Starry Lee sends letter to House Committee members demanding action – and referring to herself as chairman
Beijing’s foreign affairs arm in Hong Kong has thrown its support behind two fellow mainland agencies that slammed opposition filibustering tactics on Monday, saying they had “the right to supervise” how the city exercises its high degree of autonomy and “set things right”.
Meanwhile, controversy continued to mount over the vacant leadership of the Legislative Council’s House Committee – the centre of the dispute – as a pro-establishment heavyweight on Thursday proclaimed herself “chairman” in a letter sent to committee members.
The fresh statement from the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong came in response to accusations of “interference” levelled at the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) and the Beijing liaison office after they alleged pan-democrats had betrayed their oaths by delaying the election of a new House Committee chairman.
According to the liaison office, the delay has held up 14 bills and more than 80 subsidiary pieces of legislation affecting livelihood and economic issues that must first pass through the key committee.
It is only natural and dutiful for the two central government bodies on Hong Kong (and Macau) affairs to state their position on the opposition’s attempt to hijack Legco
In its statement on Thursday, Beijing’s local foreign affairs arm said the other agencies had “the right to supervise”.
