Hong Kong lawmakers barred for reelection can keep seats for extra year

Beijing ruling follows delay in territory's polls until September 2021

Opposition legislators, including four barred from running for reelection, are to be allowed to retain their seats for an extra year. On June 4, opposition members observed a minute's silence to mark the anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown in Beijing. © AP

MICHELLE CHAN, Nikkei staff writer

August 12, 2020 01:04 JST

HONG KONG -- All members of Hong Kong's outgoing legislature will retain their seats for "not less than" another year, according to a decision Tuesday by China's top lawmaking body.

The decision follows the announcement on July 31 by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam that legislative elections scheduled for Sept. 6 would be delayed until Sept. 5, 2021 in view of the coronavirus outbreak reaching new heights in the city.