The European Union on Thursday called on China to "immediately reverse" rules placed on Hong Kong's legislature that led to four pro-democracy lawmakers being ousted for being seen as insufficiently patriotic.

"This latest arbitrary decision from Beijing further significantly undermines Hong Kong's autonomy," said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in a statement on behalf of the bloc.

The union also urged the legislators' "immediate reinstatement".

On Wednesday, Beijing implemented the new rules for Hong Kong, giving the territory's chief executive, Carrie Lam, the power to turf out any legislator deemed not loyal enough without recourse to the courts.

She immediately used that power on the four lawmakers, prompting 15 other legislators to resign in protest. China warned it viewed the walkout as a "blatant challenge" to its authority.

"These latest steps constitute a further severe blow to political pluralism and freedom of opinion in Hong Kong," the EU statement said.

Taken along with the imposition of a "national security law" on Hong Kong in June, China was eroding its commitment to the "One Country, Two Systems" promise to keep the territory's rights and freedoms intact, it said.

The European bloc, which has become noticeably firmer with China this year on its rights record and business behaviour, said it was "closely following the political situation in Hong Kong".

It noted it had adopted a set of measures in July backing Hong Kong's right to autonomy and that Borrell was to report to EU member states on that situation before the end of this year.

"These latest development will form part of the assessment," it said.

UK summons China envoy over alleged treaty breach in Hong Kong
London (AFP) Nov 12, 2020 - Britain on Thursday summoned China's top diplomat in London after accusing Beijing of breaking its international treaty obligations by ousting four pro-democracy lawmakers from Hong Kong's legislature on security grounds.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said Chinese ambassador Liu Xiaoming had been called into the Foreign Office to hear London's "deep concerns at these latest actions".

"The UK will continue to call out these violations of Hong Kong's rights and freedoms and hold China to the obligations it freely assumed under international law," he added.

Hours earlier Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told British lawmakers the new rules to disqualify elected assembly members was "a clear breach of the legally binding Sino-British Joint Declaration" agreed in 1984.

- 'Broken promises' -

"China has once again broken its promises and undermined Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy," he said in a statement.

Britain is the former colonial power in Hong Kong and has increasingly locked horns with China since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law last year.

Liu responded with a robust defence of Beijing's position.

"This decision of #HongKongSAR is justified & reasonable. Nowhere in the world are holders of public office, legislators included, ever allowed to breach their oath & betray their country," the envoy tweeted.

Fifteen legislators quit in protest at the ouster of their colleagues, confirming fears among critics that democracy is being eradicated in Hong Kong.

On Wednesday, Raab said China was seeking to "harass, stifle and disqualify democratic opposition," denting its international reputation.

London has angered Beijing by offering Hong Kongers holding British National Overseas passports a route to UK citizenship by relaxing entry and residency requirements.

It has also suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong, one of a number of countries to do so.

Junior Foreign Office minister Nigel Adams told parliament China had breached its treaty obligations three times since 1997, and twice in six months.

The treaty was signed long before Britain handed back Hong Kong to China in 1997 and was designed to allay fears about its future under Beijing's rule.

It guarantees the financial hub special status including a high degree of autonomy to manage its own affairs and the right to freedom of speech.

Adams told lawmakers the latest move was part of a "pattern of measures to pressure and stifle all voices critical of China's policies".

Britain has faced criticism in recent months for saying it planned to breach its own international agreement with the European Union over Brexit in a "very specific and limited way".

But Johnson's spokesman said other countries should recognise the "exceptional circumstances" the UK is in regarding proposed breaches of its EU divorce deal.

"There's no way that you can extrapolate from our approach to these very specific parts of the withdrawal treaty to the UK's international behaviour more generally," he said.

"As a country we stand for international law and the rules-based international system and we always will."

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