Hong Kong legislators will have to offer Beijing full support

A new code of conduct in Hong Kong will require legislators to "sincerely support" Beijing's jurisdiction over the city and the chief executive, and prohibits anything that might "vilify" the government.

- Helen Davidson

The proposal for the code, introduced this week, includes tiered penalties for legislators who breach it, including suspension without payment for the most serious offences.

It stipulates that legislators must "sincerely support the central government's overall jurisdiction while securing the Hong Kong SAR's [special administrative region's] high degree of autonomy", as well as the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong", referring to election changes that ensure only pro-Beijing candidates can run.

"They should not intentionally vilify the governance credibility of the chief executive and the SAR government, nor should they deliberately undermine or weaken the effectiveness of executive-led governance."