Sixtus "Baggio" Leung Chung-hang[b] (Chinese: 梁頌恆; born 7 August 1986) is a Hong Kong activist and politician. He is the convenor of Youngspiration, a localist political group in Hong Kong that leans towards Hong Kong independence, and is also leader and spokesperson of the pro-independence Hong Kong National Front.[2] He was elected to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong as a member for New Territories East in the 2016 Hong Kong Legislative Council election. Triggered by his actions to make an independence political statement during the oath-taking ceremony, he faced a legal challenge from the government and was later stripped of his office by the court on 15 November 2016.
Baggio Leung | |
|---|---|
梁頌恆 | |
 Leung in October 2016 | |
| Convenor of Youngspiration | |
| Assumed office 21 January 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Position Established |
| Member of the Legislative Council | |
| In office 1 October 2016 – 15 November 2016[a] | |
| Preceded by | Gary Fan |
| Succeeded by | Gary Fan |
| Constituency | New Territories East |
| President of the City University of Hong Kong Students' Union | |
| In office 1 January 2007 – 31 December 2007 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sixtus Leung Chung-hang 7 August 1986 British Hong Kong |
| Nationality | Hong Konger |
| Political party | Youngspiration (2015–2020) Hong Kong National Front (2018–present) |
| Residence(s) | Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong Washington DC, United States |
| Alma mater | City University of Hong Kong |
| Baggio Leung | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 梁頌恆 | ||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 梁颂恒 | ||||||||||||
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Background
editLeung graduated from the City University of Hong Kong and was the president of the City University of Hong Kong Students' Union in 2007. It was reported that he supported the government's appointment of Way Kuo to be the president of the City University of Hong Kong and developed a close relationship with the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong. Leung later admitted that they have met but he did not agree with their stance.[3] He became a digital marketer after his graduation.
In January 2015, Leung established Youngspiration with a group of like-minded people who participated in the 2014 Occupy protests, often dubbed the "Umbrella Movement". It stands on a localist platform, against the influx of Chinese immigrants and tourists. In the 2015 District Council election, Youngspiration fielded nine candidates, in which Leung himself stood in Kwun Lung against pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) Yeung Hoi-wing who succeeded veteran Ip Kwok-him. Leung lost the election by a margin of about 900 votes.[4] Only one of the nine Youngspiration candidates was elected.
Legislative Councillor and disqualification
editIn the 2016 Legislative Council election, Youngspiration formed an electoral alliance under the name of "ALLinHK" with other newly founded Umbrella groups. Leung planned to stand in the Hong Kong Island constituency but later stood in New Territories West. He withdrew his nomination at the last moment and led his own ticket in New Territories East as a backup plan right before Hong Kong Indigenous' Edward Leung was disqualified by the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) for his pro-independence stance.[5] Baggio Leung was elected, receiving 37,997 votes.[6]
On 12 October 2016 in the first meeting of the session, Leung and his party colleague Yau Wai-ching inserted their own words into the official script and had their oaths rejected. They were criticised for pronouncing China as "Jee-na", a term considered derogatory since the Second Sino-Japanese War, and Yau was mispronouncing "People's Republic of China" as "people's re-fucking of Jee-na".[7] As a result, their qualification as legislators was challenged by the government in court.[8] The National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) intervened in the court case by interpreting Article 104 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong to "clarify" the provision of the legislators to swear allegiance to Hong Kong as part of China when they take office, by insisting oath taking be conducted sincerely and accurately, and later stating that China would firmly oppose Hong Kong independence. On 15 November 2016, the court vacated the two legislators' seats[9] on the grounds they did not take their oaths "faithfully and truthfully".
On 26 August 2017, the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong refused to appeal the case as they did not have a reasonably arguable case.[10] Leung and Yau were found to have manifestly refused and wilfully omitted to take their oath – an act classed as declining and neglecting it.[11]
In May 2020, Leung faced a court ruling where the Legislative Council Commission demanded a repayment of HK$930,000 (US$120,000). The commission claimed he mistakenly received the funds and salary intended for lawmakers.[12] A bankruptcy order was asked to be petitioned against him. Speaking about the legal proceedings, Leung remarked on his preparedness and that "being declared bankrupt was minor compared to being jailed for life under Beijing’s new national security law for Hong Kong."[13]
Exile
editOn 11 December 2020, a group of exiled Hong Kong citizens reported that Leung had left the city and fled to the United States on 30 November and that he was seeking asylum.[14]
Leung later confirmed this from Washington, D.C., and said he hoped to meet with advisers to President-elect Joe Biden to discuss sanctions on China over its "treatment of Hong Kong".[15]
Notes
edit- ^ Leung never actually took the seat as member of the Legislative Council as his oath on 12 October 2016 was invalidated and his seat was vacated on 15 November 2016 according to the ruling of the Court of First Instance.
- ^ Leung is nicknamed "Baggio" as his favourite childhood footballer was Roberto Baggio.[1]
References
edit
- ^ Phillips, Tom; Cheung, Eric (5 September 2016). "Hong Kong election: who are the young activists elected to the council?". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
- ^ Cheng, Kris (14 October 2018). "Beijing is taking Hong Kong back 100 years, says Baggio Leung, new spokesperson for pro-independence group HKNF". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
- ^ "【政情】青年新政梁頌恆從染紅之路走進黃傘 (English translated: Youngspiration's Leung road from pro-Communist to pro-democracy)". now TV. 25 November 2015.
- ^ "The comeback kids: From district council election losers to Hong Kong lawmakers in 10 months". Hong Kong Free Press. 8 September 2016.
- ^ "Localists submit nomination for 'substitute candidate' in LegCo election". Hong Kong Free Press. 29 July 2016.
- ^ Phillips, Tom; Cheung, Eric (5 September 2016). "Hong Kong elections: anti-Beijing activists gain foothold in power". The Guardian.
- ^ "Three rejections and multiple deviations mark Hong Kong Legislative Council swearing-in". South China Morning Post. 12 October 2016.
- ^ "Hong Kong government fails to block localist duo from retaking Legco oaths, but wins right to seek judicial review". South China Morning Post. 18 October 2016.
- ^ "Hong Kong court rules localist lawmakers must vacate Legco seats". South China Morning Post. 15 November 2016.
- ^ "Ousted Hong Kong lawmakers Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-ching lose final bid to regain seats". South China Morning Post. 25 August 2017.
- ^ "Why did Hong Kong's top court strike down final appeal bid over oath-taking saga?". South China Morning Post. 2 September 2017.
- ^ "Hong Kong court orders two disqualified lawmakers to repay HK$1.9 million". South China Morning Post. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ^ "Bankruptcy ruling sought as disqualified lawmaker fails to repay Legco cash". South China Morning Post. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ^ Baggio Leung seeks asylum in USA, rfa.org. Accessed 8 August 2023.
- ^ Lee, Danny (12 December 2020). "Former Hong Kong lawmaker Sixtus Baggio Leung has left Hong Kong, is seeking asylum in the US". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 12 December 2020.