In a case decided by the territory's high court, four opposition lawmakers were kicked out of the legislature, shifting the balance in Beijing's favor.
The 61-year-old dissident died after more than seven years in prison. He was a prominent critic of China's government. "There is no force that can put an end to the human quest for freedom," he wrote.
China has refused to let Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, now near death, obtain medical treatment abroad. Beijing released dissidents in the past, but it no longer needs to cave in to foreign pressure.
The move is historic for Beijing, which has aimed to project a presence in Africa: "This base will support China's navy to go farther afield," state-run media say, "and it is of great significance."
The area in dispute is a plateau where three countries — Bhutan, India, and China — converge. India and China have a complicated history of boundary disputes and fought a 1962 war near this stretch.
The Liaoning, the only operational aircraft carrier in the Chinese fleet, arrived in the southern port amid recent tensions with U.S. forces in the South China Sea.
Project promoters claimed a giant vehicle would beat traffic jams by straddling traffic. Last week, they were arrested on suspicion of fraud. "The idea was absurd, childish," says a longtime critic.
Kim Jong Un's moves have succeeded in putting the rest of the world in a tough spot. Possible responses include further isolation of North Korea, military moves or greater engagement. None are ideal.
Cancer specialists from the United States, Germany and other countries will join the medical team treating a political dissident detained by China since 2008. He has late-stage liver cancer.