Hong Kong official: Legislature smoother without opposition

HONG KONG (AP) — The president of Hong Kong’s legislature says it has become more efficient with no opposition members, after all pro-democracy lawmakers resigned late last year to protest the ouster of four colleagues for not demonstrating sufficient loyalty to Beijing. Hong Kong authorities have cracked down on political dissent in the past year, arresting over 120 people including several of the former opposition lawmakers under a sweeping National Security Law imposed by Beijing after months of anti-government protests. Andrew Leung, president of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, says lawmakers this year have passed 46 government bills, more than double the number last year. He says processing bills has become more efficient without them becoming politicized.