'Crackdown On District Councillors Is Inevitable'

Pro-democracy figures said on Wednesday that they believe Beijing will extend its power to cover Hong Kong's district councils, in order to have "absolute control" over the political situation in the territory.

The comments come amid reports that the National People's Congress Standing Committee – which is meeting in Beijing – may declare that district councillors must take an oath of allegiance, and could move to scrap their 117 seats on the Chief Executive Election Committee.

Pro-establishment politicians are also reported to be lobbying Beijing to scrap the councillors' five "superseats" in Legco.

Veteran democrat James To said he believes Beijing is worried by the fact that the district councils are almost entirely dominated by the pro-democracy camp.

To, who is a member of Yau Tsim Mong District Council, said Beijing does not intend to respect the views of Hongkongers who voted the pan-dems in during the last district council elections.

He told RTHK's Violet Wong: "They [Beijing officials] feel they will lose control of the choice of CE candidate or the Legco majority, through elections that they feel are dominated by not very cooperative Chinese citizens in Hong Kong. So they will do whatever they feel is necessary to have absolute control of the political power in Hong Kong."

Tsuen Wan district councillor Lester Shum echoed To's views, saying he expects Beijing to crack down on pro-democracy councillors and silence all dissent.

Shum told a radio programme that Beijing is overly worried about the councillors, saying they are not capable of threatening national security.

He said he believes more than 100 councillors could be disqualified for being deemed unable to uphold the oath of allegiance.

Shum added that he is worried that replacement councillors could be appointed by the SAR government instead of via new elections, and that they would not serve the people.

Tiffany Yuen from Southern District Council, meanwhile, said she would continue serving her district even if she was stripped of her seat.