Beijing could rein in Hong Kong if Occupy Central goes ahead, says mainland academic

Beijing could move to reduce Hong Kong’s autonomy if actions such as Occupy Central go ahead, a mainland academic has warned.

Professor Zhang Dinghuai, deputy director at Shenzhen University’s Centre for Basic Laws of Hong Kong and Macau, said Beijing currently uses the Basic Law to “govern” its relationship with Hong Kong.

But Occupy supporters believe that the mini-constitution is “draconian” and want to defy the rule of law, according to Zhang, and that will force Beijing to change its “legal” approach to a mainland-style “political” approach.

“In a unitary state such as China, the ties between the central and local administrations are usually … regulated through politics,” Zhang said in an article submitted to the South China Morning Post on Thursday.

“[Yet] Beijing uses the Basic Law to govern its relationship with Hong Kong. This is an obvious example of a relationship regulated by law.

“If the Basic Law is not being recognised – as per Occupy Central’s contention that it is draconian – I am afraid this relationship could only move towards political adjustment,” Zhang wrote.