HUMILIATED AT POLLS, LAM ACKNOWLEDGES DISCONTENT WITH GOVERNMENT
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam acknowledged on Tuesday that the record turnout in local elections won by pro-democracy candidates highlighted dissatisfaction with her administration, while appealing for an end to violent protests.
Appearing tired and drawn, Lam spoke a day after results showed democratic candidates secured almost 90% of 452 district council seats in Sunday’s elections, a landslide victory in polls that were widely seen as a barometer of the opposition to the Beijing-backed politician following months of unrest.
China, which has blamed foreign forces for fomenting unrest in the city, has not directly commented on the results, and major news outlets among China’s tightly controlled media largely avoided detailed reporting of how Hong Kongers voted.
On Tuesday, top diplomat Yang Jiechi condemned the passing of U.S legislation supporting protesters, saying China had “expressed our severe position the American side,” according to state news agency Xinhua.
A day earlier, the foreign ministry summoned U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad to protest the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy
Act, which it said amounted to interference in an internal Chinese matter.
Lam, Hong Kong’s most unpopular post-colonial leader, acknowledged voters in the city wanted to express their views on many issues, including “deficiencies in governance”. Speaking in measured tones, she thanked residents for voting peacefully and hoped the calm weekend was not just for the elections but a signal that residents want an end to unrest that has rocked the Chinese-ruled city for six months. HONG KONG REUTERS, 26NOV,2019