Bar Association Asks Beijing To 'exercise Restraint'

The Hong Kong Bar Association has urged Beijing to "exercise restraint" as it warned that recent statements and comments by central government bodies could easily be perceived as interference in the SAR's local affairs.

The association's appeal comes a day after the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) condemned pro-democracy legislators for filibustering meetings in Legco, suggesting they could be guilty of misconduct in public office.

The Bar Association noted that the HKMAO and Beijing's liaison office had also welcomed a court judgement last week that upheld the constitutionality of the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, which was used by Chief Executive Carrie Lam last year to introduce a ban on face masks at public assemblies.

"Any public comment made or statement issued by the HKMAO, China liaison office and any other state authorities in Hong Kong constitutes an exercise of public authority," the association said.

"Where such comment or statement touches upon the affairs which the HKSAR administers on its own in accordance with the Basic Law (such as the above two matters), they could easily be perceived as interference in contravention of the principle of one country, two systems."

The association also cited part of Article 22 of the Basic Law to put its point across:

"No department of the central people's government and no province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the central government may interfere in the affairs which the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region administers on its own in accordance with this Law."

Pro-democracy legislators, who were on the receiving end of Beijing's anger, have also accused the central government of meddling in Hong Kong affairs. But their pro-establishment rivals says Beijing has every right to offer its "opinion" and to "protect its sovereignty" over the SAR.