Agence France Presse

Five pro-democracy lawmakers in Hong Kong resigned yesterday, vowing to turn the resulting elections into a populist referendum for universal suffrage in defiance of warnings from China.

About 50 onlookers, with a similar number of press in attendance, applauded under leaden skies as the lawmakers staged the most high-profile challenge yet to China’s stewardship of the glitzy financial hub.

Three members of the League of Social Democrats and two from the Civic Party tendered their resignations at the Legislative Council, a toothless body in British colonial times that critics say remains a rubber stamp under Beijing.

“We are giving the opportunity back to the people to vote for real democracy,” Civic Party leader Audrey Eu (余若薇) said after her two colleagues quit.

“So we call on the people, if you truly believe in democracy, there is no reason to fear,” Eu said.

Two days before their resignations take effect on Friday, the lawmakers plan to outline their goals at what promises to be a stormy council session today as they face off against pro-Beijing forces.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang (曾蔭權) said the government “deeply regrets” the lawmakers’ resignations and that their so-called referendum had no legal basis. But he said the government was under a statutory duty to organize by-elections.

“As the chief executive, I did not wish to see the situation we have arrived at today. But we have the responsibility to hold the by-election in accordance with the election ordinance,” he said in a statement.

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