The Hong Kong government held an oath ceremony for the first group of local councillors on Friday (September 10). This is the first time that a local law amendment requires a councillor to take an oath.
The venue is not open to media interviews. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, pointed out earlier that district councillors will take the oath in front of the Chinese flag and the Hong Kong regional flag one by one and observe the relevant regulations of the oath ceremony and occasion. The authorities will then decide whether the oaths of these district councillors are valid. If the oaths are found to be invalid, they will be disqualified as councillors, but they will allow the other party to appeal.
The Hong Kong media also quoted some district councilors as saying that the invitation letter issued by the government earlier stated the oath procedures, clothing guidelines, and venue regulations, including clothing that the district councilors cannot display politicized signs, slogans or slogans.
Among the district councilors who need to take an oath on Friday, two district councilors Yang Xueying and Peng Zhuoqi were charged with “inciting subversion of state power” under Hong Kong’s National Security Act because of the democratic primary elections. They have been released on bail. On Friday morning, another district councilor, Cai Zhiqiang, publicly stated on the social networking site that he would not attend the oath ceremony, saying that he entered the district council to monitor the government, not to be loyal to the government, so he “must not compromise.”
The Secretary for Home Affairs Xu Yingyu, who is responsible for administering oaths, announced after the ceremony that he would be regarded as refusing or neglecting the oath and he would need to leave office. The government will later announce whether the oaths of other members are valid.
“100% normal”
There are about 200 incumbent district councillors in Hong Kong. When Carrie Lam announced the oath arrangement on Tuesday (September 7), he said that they would take the oath in batches. It was 25 councillors from Hong Kong Island who took the oath on Friday.
Hong Kong media quoted an established district councillor Xie Weijun who had completed the oath as saying that during the ceremony, the district councillors solemnly swear “100% normal.” He did not see that during the oath ceremony, it could constitute a reason to deprive members of their qualifications.
The Hong Kong government earlier amended local laws related to public officials’ oaths, adding a “positive list” and “negative list” behaviors. Negative list behaviors include “endangering national security”, “rejecting China’s exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong”, and “promoting “Hong Kong independence”, “seeking foreign interference in Hong Kong affairs”, etc. According to the revised law, the act of making or intentionally making a negative list is regarded as not meeting the requirements of “supporting the Basic Law” and “allegiance to the SAR”, which is equivalent to violating the oath and will lose the qualifications of district councilors.
Hong Kong media quoted government sources in July this year saying that district councillors who were disqualified by this method would be required to repay the salaries and allowances already paid, which could amount to millions of Hong Kong dollars. After the news broke, more than 200 district councilors resigned themselves.
After many resignations, the pro-democracy members are still the majority in the district councils, but the establishment has regained control in some areas. Among them, in the North District Council, the democrats were originally the majority, but after many members resigned, there are now only four democrats, which is less than the establishment that controls seven seats.
The Secretary for Home Affairs of Hong Kong, Xu Yingwei, who was appointed to administer oaths, did not directly respond when Carrie Lam announced the arrangement on Tuesday. If the district councilors’ oaths are ruled invalid, they will not be held accountable, but only those who are considered to be problematic in taking the oath.” I don’t do anything wrong in my life, and I won’t be surprised if I knock on the door in the middle of the night.”