Defiant Hong Kong opposition condemned by China

China’s government has condemned the mass resignation of most of Hong Kong’s opposition

China’s Hong Kong and Macau affairs office described the action as a farce and an open challenge to its authority.

On Wednesday, 15 opposition members announced their resignation in solidarity with four fellow lawmakers who had been dismissed.

Beijing said the four were deemed a threat to national security but many see it as further restricting Hong Kong’s rights, including freedom of speech, which Beijing denies.

It has been widely criticised as a violation of the territory’s supposed autonomy under the one country, two systems agreement, with the US calling it a move towards one party dictatorship.