Lam promises to ‘reflect’ on rout by democrats in Hong Kong poll
Record turnout sees antigovernment landslide as protester candidates take 17 of territory’s 18 districts
THE Hong Kong government will “seriously reflect” after pro-democracy candidates secured an overwhelming victory in council elections.
Videos of residents popping champagne bottles late on Sunday night circulated on social media as the first results of Hong Kong’s 2019 district council elections came through.
Carrie Lam, the territory’s pro-beijing chief executive, said yesterday that the government respected the results and wished “the peaceful, safe and orderly situation to continue”.
“There are various analyses and interpretations ... and quite a few are of the view that the results reflect people’s dissatisfaction with the current situation and the deep-seated problems in society,” she said, adding that the government would “listen to the opinions of members of the public humbly and seriously reflect”.
A record 71 per cent of voters cast ballots in the elections in which prodemocracy candidates won 385 of the 452 seats. Pro-beijing candidates held 59 seats and independents won eight.
Pro-establishment candidates, who ran unopposed in the previous 2015 ballot, were challenged in every constituency across all 18 districts, with pro-democracy candidates winning 17 of them.
The result marks a historic shift in the make-up of district councils, which have been dominated by pro-establishment members for years. The bodies’ powers are limited to local affairs, such as planning bus routes, pest control and organising recreational activities.
Big losses for Beijing included Junius Ho, a heavy critic of the protest movement, who lost his seat in Tuen Mun to a pro-democracy candidate.
Leticia Wong, a first-time pro-democracy candidate, claimed 65 per cent of the vote, beating rival Wong Ka Wing in Sha Tin. Jocelyn Chau and Jimmy Sham, both of whom were attacked in the months leading up to the election, also claimed strong victories.
Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, described Ms Lam’s promise to reflect on the results as “reassuring”.
“I welcome the Hong Kong government facilitating these elections, which were an important opportunity for the people of Hong Kong to make their voices heard,” he said. “We don’t want to see any more violence. It was reassuring to hear Carrie Lam commit to reflecting seriously on the message delivered by the people.”
The landslide win appears to counter Beijing’s theory that there is a “silent majority” who oppose the protest movement. It puts further pressure on Ms Lam’s administration as the 1,200-member committee that will pick the chief executive in 2022 includes 117 district councillors.
Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, dismissed the vote as immaterial to the territory’s status, adding: “No matter how the situation in Hong Kong changes, it is very clear that Hong Kong is a part of Chinese territory.”
The landslide victory of pro-democracy parties in Hong Kong’s elections on Sunday was a resounding rejection of the pro-beijing administration running the former colony. But above all it was a repudiation of the Communist Party’s determination to resist the mounting pressure for reform. They can no longer dismiss what is happening as being, in the words of Carrie Lam, the chief executive, the activities of a small minority. Throughout the recent upheavals, she has insisted the protests were unrepresentative of the “silent majority” of Hong Kongers.
Chinese leaders, moreover, have accused foreign powers, including the US and the UK, of interfering in Hong Kong to give the impression of greater dissent than really exists.
But the election, in which 60 per cent of votes were cast for pro-democracy parties on a high turnout, has completely undermined that position. Pro-government candidates were swept from office across the city, holding on to control of just one of the 18 council districts after previously running all of them.
This poses an uncomfortable dilemma for China. It is simply not going to give in to demands for democracy and yet is anxious to avoid an all-out crackdown in Hong Kong, which remains one of the world’s leading financial centres.
Beijing had hoped the protests would fizzle out but the election results will give them new momentum unless the government is prepared to show some willingness to compromise. Miss Lam has said she would “listen humbly” to what the people of Hong Kong have said. But the people who really need to take notice are sitting in Beijing.