Vote postponed over pandemic concerns

Pandemic cited, but critics question motive

HONG KONG • Hong Kong Leader Carrie Lam on Friday postponed a Sept. 6 election to the Chinese-ruled city’s legislature by a year because of a rise in coronavirus cases, dealing a blow to the pro-democracy opposition that had hoped to make huge gains.

The decision came after 12 pro-democracy candidates were disqualified from running for perceived subversive intentions and opposition to a sweeping new security law imposed by Beijing, prompting questions among many about whether the pandemic was the real reason for the delay.

“Postponing the September elections for a year is a cynical move to contain a political emergency, not a public health one,” said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch.

“This simply allows Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam to deny Hong Kong people their right to choose their government.”

The White House also condemned the decision, saying it was the latest example of Beijing undermining democracy in the Chinese-ruled city.

“This action undermines the democratic processes and freedoms that have underpinned Hong Kong’s prosperity,” White House spokeswoman Kayleigh Mcenany told reporters. “This is only the most recent in a growing list of broken promises by Beijing, which promised autonomy and freedoms to the Hong Kong people until 2047 in the Sino-british joint declaration.”

The opposition had aimed to ride a wave of resentment over the national security law to win a majority in the Legislative Council, where half the seats are directly elected with the other half filled mostly by pro-beijing appointees.

Lam said she had to invoke an emergency law to make the postponement and no political considerations were involved. China’s parliament would decide how to fill the legislative vacuum, she added.

She told reporters the decision was aimed at safeguarding people’s health.

“We have 3 million voters going out in one day across Hong Kong, such flow of people would cause high risk of infection,” Lam said.

Hong Kong has reported more than 3,000 coronavirus cases since January, far lower than in other major cities around the world. But the number of new infections has been in the triple-digits for the past 10 days.

Rival finance hub Singapore, which has had a larger coronavirus outbreak, held a general election in July. Many pro-democracy activists had suspected Lam would use the coronavirus to delay the election.