Bad behavior disqualifies nominees in Hong Kong

Veteran political scholar Lau Siu-kai, vice-president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said the disqualification was the result of the opposition's increasingly radical political approach.

In recent years, some opposition politicians' positions appear to have become more and more extreme, such as condoning violence, colluding with foreign and external forces, and seeking acts of secession, Lau said.

Such acts were even seen in some incumbent lawmakers, who have sworn allegiance to the SAR and have a great responsibility for a society's well-being, he said.

Paul Yeung Wan, a political researcher, agrees with Lau that the opposition camp must pay for its previous wrongdoings.

The central government did offer opportunities to them, but they ignored them, so they should suffer the consequences, Yeung said.

He hopes that in the long term, the opposition camp can learn a lesson from this experience and adjust its political positions.

Senior Counsel and Executive Councilor Ronny Tong Ka-wah held that the disqualification of so many candidates showed that many people's understanding of the "one country, two systems" principle is not in line with the Basic Law, reflecting an "unhealthy political ecology".

Expressing support of the government's adherence of electoral principles in such an environment, Tong said that requiring candidates to respect constitutional order and national sovereignty is a common practice in every country.

Dismissing accusations that the central government has tightened the "political red line" by the move, he said that more and more people are testing and crossing the line.