The Legislative Council (LegCo) of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was adjourned on Wednesday by heckling opposition lawmakers, the second time it was adjourned after thugs stormed and vandalized the building on July 1.
This time, HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam was supposed to deliver her widely expected policy address to lay out new initiatives to bring Hong Kong out of the current impasse. But the opposition lawmakers repeatedly interrupted her by shouting and projecting slogans onto the backdrop behind her.
The opposition has long sided with rioters by defending and even glorifying their increasingly violent acts in the prolonged unrests. Now they take up the vandalism themselves to trash legislative procedures with their political shows.
Behind the four months of upheaval lies deep-seated social and economic problems. Among them, the shortage of land and homes in particular must be resolved decisively to help mitigate the public's discontent and find a long-term solution.
In this year's policy address, Lam did give top priority to the housing problem, with measures to unleash land reserves and provide more affordable apartments.
Despite threats from radicals, she insisted on delivering the policy address in the LegCo chamber, reflecting the resolve of the HKSAR government to brave challenges, tackle practical problems, and genuinely improve people's livelihood.
Unfortunately, her efforts to move forward were again frustrated by the opposition lawmakers. The LegCo again slipped into the state of deadlock, while the split in society became more acute.
It is crystal clear that the opposition cares nothing about the people's livelihood or the future for Hong Kong, but only political calculation and personal interests.
As reckless violence continues, Hong Kong is sliding into an abyss full of repeated attacks, arson, and vandalism by rioters.
The prolonged unrest has seriously disrupted the normal life of ordinary residents, crushed the businesses of the catering, retailing and tourism sectors, and caused livelihood difficulties for those employed by the sectors.
For Hong Kong, the economic downturn risks now are much greater than those seen in the SARS epidemic outbreak in 2003 and the global financial crisis between mid-2007 and early 2009.
The opposition has set an extremely bad precedent in Hong Kong in paralyzing the LegCo operation, only to worsen the dangerous situation where rationality succumbs to violence, unity yields to fissure, and peace concedes to disturbance.
It is the mainstream demand in the Hong Kong society to stop violence, end chaos and restore order as soon as possible.
If the opposition continues to glorify those rioters and refuse to return to rationality, Hong Kong will sink further into an impasse without any way around.
As the agitator, organizer and sponsor of the current violence and chaos, the opposition must take the responsibility for the grave consequences arising from the current unrest.
