Councilors Swear New Hong Kong Loyalty Oath After Hundreds Quit

HONG KONG - Dozens of local community politicians in Hong Kong swore a newly required loyalty oath to China on Friday after hundreds of their colleagues quit in protest as authorities try to purge the city of "unpatriotic" elements.

District councils are the only political office in Hong Kong where all seats are directly elected by residents. They deal with bread-and-butter local issues like bus routes, trash collection and playgrounds. But they have also become a symbol of residents' urge for a greater say in how their city is run. In late 2019, towards the end of months of huge democracy protests, opposition candidates critical of China's rule won a landslide, hammering pro-government candidates.