Thousands take part in ‘protest voting’
HONG KONG: Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong citizens queued to cast ballots over the weekend in what the Chineseruled city’s opposition camp says is a symbolic protest vote against tough national security laws directly imposed by Beijing.
The unofficial poll will decide the strongest pro-democracy candidates to contest Legislative Council elections in September, when they aim to ride a wave of anti-china sentiment stirred by the law to seize control for the first time from pro-beijing rivals.
While the primaries are only for the opposition camp, observers are watching closely as they say the turnout will serve as a test of broader opposition to the law, which critics say will gravely undermine the city’s freedoms.
Defying warnings from a senior Hong Kong official that the vote might fall foul of the national security law, residents young and old flocked to over 250 polling stations across the city, manned by thousands of volunteers.
Long queues formed down streets, in residential estates and at businesses-turned-polling stations, with people casting an online ballot on their mobile phones after having their identities verified.
Organisers said 500,000 people had voted by Sunday, in the city of 7.5 million. The full turnout is expected to be announced on Monday.
AUSTRALIA RESIDENCE OFFER TO 10K FROM HK SYDNEY: The Australian government says it will offer around 10,000 Hong Kong passport holders currently living in Australia a chance to apply for permanent residence once their current visas expire.
Many Hong Kong passport holders may be looking for other destinations to go to “and hence why we have put forward our additional visa options for them,” Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge told Australian Broadcasting Corporation.