Pan-democrats thwarted in last bid to stop Hong Kong government’s plan to give People’s Liberation Army a prime slice of Central waterfront
- Last-ditch effort to stop the plan is derailed by motion to adjourn Legco
- If pro-Beijing camp’s motion is passed, a strip of scenic harbourfront will be given to the PLA on Saturday
The pro-democracy camp’s last-ditch attempt to stop the government from handing a prime strip of Central waterfront to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Saturday has been thwarted in a surprise move by pro-establishment lawmakers.
Christopher Cheung Wah-fung, a financial services sector lawmaker, moved to adjourn the Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday so that a motion against the military dock brought by two opposition lawmakers could not be discussed. Debate over the adjournment continues Thursday.
The move reflects anxiety within the pro-Beijing camp about the potential to ignite another heated debate amid the public outrage over the botched extradition bill.
No legislators’ vote is needed for the subsidiary legislation that would hand over the site to the PLA. The transfer would fall under a legislative process called “negative vetting”, meaning the government could implement a bill until legislators object to it.
In a bid to block the land transfer, opposition lawmakers Eddie Chu Hoi-dick and Au Nok-hin had put forward motions arguing that the waterfront site should be kept for public access and enjoyment.
“The amendment [for the military dock] taking effect directly will become the first political bomb [after the extradition bill],” Chu said. “The pro-establishment camp better hold the bomb carefully.”
If Cheung’s motion is passed, the council meeting will be adjourned with Chu and Au having no chance to present their motions – and a 150 metre strip of scenic harbourfront would be given to the PLA on Saturday.
Chu and others in the opposition camp accused their rivals of keeping the subject away from the public out of fear inflaming protesters already riled up over the extradition bill fiasco.
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The opposition argued that by allowing the amendment to take effect without debate – a day before the annual July 1 march – the pro-government camp risked intensifying discontent and boosting turnout for the march.
At Legco on Wednesday, Cheung used a rule that allows lawmakers to table unannounced motions between meeting sessions.
Cheung said he proposed the adjournment to allow time for lawmakers to “brainstorm on how the government can resume society’s stability and peace” in the aftermath of the turmoil over the extradition bill. The bill, which is now suspended, would have allowed Hong Kong to send fugitives to mainland China and other jurisdictions that lack extradition deals with the city.
Cheung denied that the move was an attempt to neutralise Chu’s motion, and apologised to lawmakers for not allowing them to debate the amendment.
“I have no such intention [to block the motions]. I'm just trying to air my concerns over the [impact on the] financial market,” Cheung said.
Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, the president of Legco, allowed Cheung’s motion to be debated, saying he believed efforts to calm society were an urgent matter and in the public interest.
Discussion over the adjournment had not concluded when the meeting ended at 8pm. The debate will resume on Thursday before lawmakers vote on whether to adjourn.
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Observers said it was likely that the adjournment would pass because of the Legco’s pro-establishment majority.
Pro-establishment lawmaker Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said Cheung’s move was not a premeditated tactic approved by the whole camp. He said he had already prepared a speech on the military dock.
Lawmaker Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, of the pro-democratic Civic Party, said his party resolutely opposed the amendment that would give part of the Central waterfront to the PLA.
“It will deprive Hong Kong people of the right to enjoy a continuous harbourfront,” Yeung said. “Why can’t this issue be debated at the Legco? Why can’t the pro-establishment camp even publicly defend the country and the PLA?”
