Pro-democracy Hong Kong lawmakers defy China in oath taking

HONG KONG -- A swearing-in ceremony to kick off Hong Kong's legislative session descended into farce Wednesday as newly elected pro-democracy lawmakers intentionally mangled their oaths in a show of defiance against Beijing.

They displayed flags declaring Hong Kong is not a part of China and called out for "democratic self-determination" for the semiautonomous Chinese city the oath taking session.

The freshman lawmakers represent some of the new wave of grassroots groups that emerged from the wake of 2014's massive pro-democracy street protests.

Sixtus Leung, 30, of the Youngspiration party draped a blue flag with the words "Hong Kong is not China" over his shoulders and crossed his fingers as he held a Bible while he spoke. His colleague Yau Wai-ching laid the same flag on the table in front of her when it was her turn.

They recited the oath in English but appeared to deliberately mispronounce the word China as Shina, an old fashioned Japanese term for the country some see as derogatory. Yau, 25, also appeared to insert a curse word into her oath.