China's top parliamentary panel will initiate a discussion over Hong Kong's mini-constitution and the need to re-interpret it, the Hong Kong government confirmed on Friday. The discussion over the constitution will be started over the weekend.

The autonomous city government issued a brief statement on Friday saying that "the question of interpreting Article 104 of the Basic Law has been included in the agenda" of the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC).

Like Us on Facebook

The unprecedented move for the judicial review comes after two pro-independent lawmakers' oath was declared as "invalid" on October 12. The Hong Kong government subsequently filed a case in the court to disqualify both newly elected legislators.

The two politicians Yau Wai-ching, 25, and Sixtus Leung, 30, were elected to the city's Legislative Council in September. Both legislators allegedly botched up their oath-taking ceremony by using the term "Chee-na" instead of China.

The use of the controversial term, which the Chinese consider as highly derogatory, propelled the officials to rule the oath as completely "illegal." The term was used during World War 2 by Japanese forces as a reference to Chinese citizens.

The two young rebel lawmakers reportedly pledged their allegiance to the "Hong Kong Nation" and unfurled banners that read "Hong Kong Is Not China" during an oath-taking ceremony.

Hong Kong has seen several pro-independence movements since 1997, the year when it became an autonomous part of Republic of China. While the autonomous city has seen visibly less protest in the past year, the latest row may rekindle the independence movements again.

Meanwhile, experts fear that the Chinese government's decision to go for a judicial review may damage the creditability of Hong Kong's judiciary system.  

TagsHong Kong, Hong Kong Oath Taking, Hong Kong Pro Independence, Hong Kong China, china