Openly critical of the Chinese government's human rights record, Hong Kong's political opposition is typically viewed by Beijing as a troublemaker. Unlike most Hong Kongers, many pro-democracy legislators have been denied a travel document that allows them to enter mainland China.
While this former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997, the two territories maintain separate political and economic systems.
But the Shanghai government recently invited Hong Kong's entire 60-member Legislative Council to the World Expo, which kicks off on May 1.
So far, six opposition legislators have said they will skip the May 8-10 trip, criticizing the invitation as an attempt to co-opt them on the issue of political reform.
Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp has demanded for years that Beijing allow the territory direct elections for all political offices, to no avail. Hong Kong's leader is currently chosen by an 800-member committee loyal to China, while the legislature is half elected, half picked by interest groups.
The lawmakers questioned the timing of the trip, which comes just a week before a scheduled special election on May 16. Five former pro-democracy legislators - one from each of Hong Kong's five major electoral districts - triggered the election by resigning on Jan. 26, hoping to turn the territory-wide contest into a de facto referendum on democracy.
Beijing has criticized the referendum campaign as a challenge to its authority and questioned its legality, so critics suspect the World Expo visit is an attempt to draw attention away from the by-election. The invitation also excludes the five pro-democracy lawmakers who resigned - three of whom are among the opposition's most outspoken.
“The Chinese government is trying to create a harmonious atmosphere to tone down enthusiasm for the special election,” lawmaker Emily Lau told The Associated Press in a phone interview.
“All we are doing is visiting sites. There isn't an opportunity to discuss political reform in Hong Kong and the state of human rights in China,” another boycotting legislator, Lee Cheuk-yan, said.
“They are clearly trying to exclude the five lawmakers who resigned. I'm against any sort of exclusionary or discriminatory behavior,” Lee added.
But at least some opposition legislators will make the trip. Democratic Party Chairman Albert Ho said five of its members will join the delegation, so they can check if taxpayer dollars were misspent on the Hong Kong pavilion at the World Expo.
