Hong Kong democrats score landslide victory in local elections amid political crisis

By Clare Jim and Felix Tam

 

Supporters of local candidate Kelvin Lam celebrate, after it was announced he won the local council elections in his district, at a polling station in the South Horizons West district in Hong Kong, China November 25, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

 

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Pro-democracy candidates in Hong Kong romped to a landslide and symbolic majority in district council elections after residents turned out in record numbers on Sunday to vote following six months of anti-government protests in the embattled city.

 

In a rare weekend lull in the unrest that has embroiled the financial hub, democratic candidates across the city of 7.4 million secured more than half of the 452 district council seats for the first time, against a strongly resourced and mobilised pro-establishment opposition.

 

Hong Kong's district councils control some spending and decide a range of local livelihood issues such as transport, and they also serve as an important grassroots platform to radiate political influence in the city ruled by communist China.

 

Some winning candidates said the result was akin to a vote of support for the protest movement, and could raise the pressure on Hong Kong's pro-Beijing chief executive, Carrie Lam, amid the city's worst political crisis in decades.

 

"This is the power of democracy. This is a democratic tsunami," said Tommy Cheung, a former student protest leader who won a seat in the Yuen Long district close to China's border.

 

Initial results from the voting, which ended with no major disruptions in a day that saw massive queues form outside many voting centres, began to trickle in after midnight.

 

Many people clamoured to vote early, fearful that possible disruptions would lead to voting centres closing early.

 

As of 5:00 a.m. (2100 GMT), pro-democracy candidates had secured a majority with at least 283 seats, compared to about 32 seats for the pro-establishment camp, according to local media estimates. A record 1,104 candidates were vying for 452 seats.

 

Electoral affairs chief Barnabus Fung said at least 2.94 million people voted, a record turnout of more than 71% that appeared to have been spurred by the turmoil. About 1.47 million voted in the last district elections four years ago.

 

"The performance of the pro-democracy camp will send a signal to Beijing," said Andrew Li, a 22-year-old student who supported a pro-democracy candidate. "By ignoring people's demands, it wakes up all Hong Kong people to come out and vote."

 

FORMAL CONFRONTATION

Demonstrators are angry at what they see as Chinese meddling in the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. They say they are also responding to perceived police brutality.

 

China denies interfering and says it is committed to the "one country, two systems" formula for the autonomy of Hong Kong. Police say they have shown restraint in the face of potentially deadly attacks.

 

Jimmy Sham, a candidate for the Civil Human Rights Front, which organised some of the anti-government rallies, won his electoral contest and said the turnout should be a sign to the government that it should listen to their voices.

 

"This election is special because it is a formal confrontation between pro-establishment and pro-democracy parties after months of unrest caused by the misstep of government," he said, standing on crutches weeks after he was beaten by men with hammers during a rally in October.

 

"It is a victory for the people of Hong Kong."

 

Other successful pro-democracy candidates included Lester Shum, a former student leader of the umbrella movement in 2014, and Kelvin Lam, who stood in after activist Joshua Wong was barred from running.

 

A number of pro-Beijing heavyweights including Junius Ho, an incumbent injured in a knife attack this month, lost to a pro-democracy challenger. In a message on his Facebook page, Ho said it had been an "exceptional year, an exceptional election, and an unusual result".

 

Some veteran pro-Beijing politicians, who have been shoo-ins in previous polls, attributed their losses to the broader discontent.

 

"Our loss is not because of our work in the local districts, it’s because of the political sentiment," said Horace Cheung, who noted he received 500 more votes this year than four years ago, but still lost.

 

CAMPUS STANDOFF

Casting her ballot, Hong Kong's chief executive Lam, who is backed by Beijing, pledged that her government would listen more intensively to the views of district councils.

 

"I hope this kind of stability and calm is not only for today's election, but to show that everyone does not want Hong Kong to fall into a chaotic situation again," Lam said.

 

The protests started over a now-withdrawn extradition bill that would have allowed people to be sent to mainland China for trial but rapidly evolved into calls for full democracy, posing the biggest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.

 

The protests have at times forced the closure of government, businesses and schools as police used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon in response to petrol bombs and rocks.

 

The run-up to the election was marked by attacks on candidates, with Ho stabbed and wounded and another having part of his ear bitten off.

 

Sunday was also the seventh day of a standoff at Polytechnic University, whose campus has been surrounded by police as some protesters hid out on the grounds.

 

"The government needs to know that if they don't answer our demands, we will continue demanding and the protests will not stop," said a 26-year-old pro-democracy voter who gave her name as Cda.

 

(Reporting by Greg Torode, Sharon Tam, Sarah Wu, Scott Murdoch, Poppy McPherson, Clare Jim, Felix Tam, Joyce Zhou, Jessie Pang, Twinnie Siu, Jessie Pang, Athit Perawongmetha and Aleksander Solum; Writing by Josh Smith; Editing by James Pomfret and Alistair Bell)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-25

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Nice to see that a strong protest can have teeth.

Now if only ................................................................... in Thailand.

33 minutes ago, webfact said:

"This is the power of democracy. This is a democratic tsunami," said Tommy Cheung,

Which terrifies Beijing. The one thing they fear the most, their own people.

Good for them.

I have had the pleasure to spend some time in Hong  Kong about twenty years ago and I was very impressed with the people there, IMO they are not the typical Chinese , simply by virtue of having lived under a more democratic and progressive culture. IMO They will never  live under an oppressive chinese system, So china should declare victory and leave them along.

IMO China should be more like them rather than them more like China. 

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

IMO China should be more like them rather than them more like China. 

I guess that was the hope of 'one country two systems' and 50 years of no change.

Not sure that China will declare victory and leave them alone though.

I was in HK last year, with close HK friends (middle class - not wealthy not poor) whom I meet in BKK frequently.

 

They do NOT like the 'mainlanders'. And, as far as I can tell, that is not just a political thing, but cultural and 'ethnic' too.

44 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

I was in HK last year, with close HK friends (middle class - not wealthy not poor) whom I meet in BKK frequently.

 

They do NOT like the 'mainlanders'. And, as far as I can tell, that is not just a political thing, but cultural and 'ethnic' too.

The Chinese mainlanders wear wife beater singlets, as do many Thai expats, cultural similarities. 

Great news - a slap in the face for Carrie Lam and her puppet master in Beijing.

56 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

I was in HK last year, with close HK friends (middle class - not wealthy not poor) whom I meet in BKK frequently.

 

They do NOT like the 'mainlanders'. And, as far as I can tell, that is not just a political thing, but cultural and 'ethnic' too.

Don’t doubt your feedback from your engagement with the locals. What age group are your friends. This is purely for my own perspective and not meant to be provocative. 

Another interesting fact is the results were confirmed within a matter of hours and not months........!!!!

Generals here beware get some more submarines just in case????

We just returned from HongKong, and sad to see the unrest in a beautiful city

 

Interesting election result, shows support for change, and the establishment can take nothing for granted, watch out Nancy

 

People are likely to vote for Donald in a similar way at the next election as a vote of protest, as well as one of love

 

Politicians world over be wary

 

You can fool some of the people, all of the time

All of the people some of the time

BUT CANNOT FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME

2 minutes ago, spornb said:

We just returned from HongKong, and sad to see the unrest in a beautiful city

 

Interesting election result, shows support for change, and the establishment can take nothing for granted, watch out Nancy

 

People are likely to vote for Donald in a similar way at the next election as a vote of protest, as well as one of love

 

Politicians world over be wary

 

You can fool some of the people, all of the time

All of the people some of the time

BUT CANNOT FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME

As I recall, the Democrats scored huge gains in the House in the last election. FYI, that's the legislative branch of which Nancy Pelosi is the leader. And this was in the wake of the Mueller report. 

5 hours ago, neeray said:

Nice to see that a strong protest can have teeth.

Now if only ................................................................... in Thailand.

YES..... If Thai people could only stand up for 'themselves'.... THEN THEY COULD HAVE SIMILAR SUCESS.........

1 hour ago, spornb said:

We just returned from HongKong, and sad to see the unrest in a beautiful city

 

Interesting election result, shows support for change, and the establishment can take nothing for granted, watch out Nancy

 

People are likely to vote for Donald in a similar way at the next election as a vote of protest, as well as one of love

 

Politicians world over be wary

 

You can fool some of the people, all of the time

All of the people some of the time

BUT CANNOT FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME

Your projection of this on USA and Democrats there is really strange.

3 hours ago, animalmagic said:

I guess that was the hope of 'one country two systems' and 50 years of no change.

Not sure that China will declare victory and leave them alone though.

This is symbolic but will not move the political dial. District Councillors are local representatives. The legislative council is the bicameral legislature and only 5 district councilors will represent. Like the skewed Thailand constitution, half of the legislative council are elected or rather selected from pro Beijing interest groups. 

5 hours ago, rabas said:

Which terrifies Beijing. The one thing they fear the most, their own people.

CAN YOU RELATE TO THIS THOUGHT.......... ALSO?... The reason this present Thai Military Dictatorship has ordered all those Tanks and Armoured Personelle Carriers are for none other than for USE TO PUT DOWN their OWN Thai people when they do revolt....

Just now, sawadeeken said:

CAN YOU RELATE TO THIS THOUGHT.......... ALSO?... The reason this present Thai Military Dictatorship has ordered all those Tanks and Armoured Personelle Carriers are for none other than for USE TO PUT DOWN their OWN Thai people when they do revolt....

They have enough of those already for that purpose, see the recent past.

 

They only ordered them to line pockets.

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Don’t doubt your feedback from your engagement with the locals. What age group are your friends. This is purely for my own perspective and not meant to be provocative. 

40s & 50s, so born into British HK & grew up there. But I'ld be surprised if both older & younger didn't generally have the same views.

 

The point is that when the 'same' people grow up on different sides of an 'artificial' border (most borders are artificial - think Serbs & Croats, think East & West Germans), over time they become different people & have different IDENTITY, which is very difficult to change back again.

“Elections have consequences.”  Maybe the Thai can learn something from this.

1 hour ago, mfd101 said:

40s & 50s, so born into British HK & grew up there. But I'ld be surprised if both older & younger didn't generally have the same views.

 

The point is that when the 'same' people grow up on different sides of an 'artificial' border (most borders are artificial - think Serbs & Croats, think East & West Germans), over time they become different people & have different IDENTITY, which is very difficult to change back again.

A century of British rule has significantly altered the values of the HK people. One article that I linked below put the dislike for mainlanders at 53% and only 11% otherwise. 
https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3027639/protests-expose-gulf-between-hong-kong-and-mainland-china-could 

 

Youths today are different. During colonial rule, the population too has no part in the representative participation of the government and no group protest. What changed? Will never know now that the radical element of the protest have taken over. The same sentiment will likewise change too. US is fanning the embers which is quite paradoxical when their politics too is tribal. 

8 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

A century of British rule has significantly altered the values of the HK people. One article that I linked below put the dislike for mainlanders at 53% and only 11% otherwise. 
https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3027639/protests-expose-gulf-between-hong-kong-and-mainland-china-could 

 

Youths today are different. During colonial rule, the population too has no part in the representative participation of the government and no group protest. What changed? Will never know now that the radical element of the protest have taken over. The same sentiment will likewise change too. US is fanning the embers which is quite paradoxical when their politics too is tribal. 

In my opinion it started when foreigners (mainlanders), went unchecked as they bought property and increased the prices so high that the youth of today have zero chance to buy property for themselves. The government’s greed to fill their coffers “for a rainy day” (even though they have 3 trillion in reserves) also caused property prices to escalate. The government gets an incredible amount from land sales to developers - so had no incentive to reign in prices. Well... it’s raining now.

6 minutes ago, ncc1701d said:

In my opinion it started when foreigners (mainlanders), went unchecked as they bought property and increased the prices so high that the youth of today have zero chance to buy property for themselves. The government’s greed to fill their coffers “for a rainy day” (even though they have 3 trillion in reserves) also caused property prices to escalate. The government gets an incredible amount from land sales to developers - so had no incentive to reign in prices. Well... it’s raining now.

You are absolutely correct but the property issue is only part of the problem. There's a whole gamut of societal differences where HK used to be in the ascendancy but has now fallen behind because of the insistence on different governance.

Wow, a real election where the ruling government apparently didn't have all the opposing candidates either disqualified, prosecuted or otherwise tormented. Amazing "democracy..."   

20 hours ago, car720 said:

It is only the CCP that is bad.  Not China.

Trump is bad but we don't blame all Americans.

The Chinese on the mainland live in fear of reprisals against their families.  That is why they don't revolt themselves.

Thanks for voting confidence on Chinese people but that's laughablely exaggerated. 

I, myself a LGBT once fought govt. for many yrs, yet like most Chinese people I know - appreciated all the improvements govt did, whether hated govt or not. China's been in turmoil since Qing dynasty up to 70s(yes atrocities are committed during Mao's era but the rest of CCP pleaded their fault and it's in textbooks), yet now China stands a great economy who doesn't serve a demolitioncracy puppet master, and lifes' been largely improved, especially(unlike LoS?) Chinese did great investment on education for everyone, you find many big Chinese figures grow out from used-to-be dirt poor rural area(often joked as 'phoenix man'). The CCP did great job to keep a 1.4bn people country with lots of complications united and forward.

 

Even though China is not fully-democratic, the CCP is largely represented what the Chinese people really are, (like the stereotypes) whether greedy, peaceful, loves study, mostly realist-atheist. Chinese people share responsibility for what CCP did good and bad, it is absolutely laughable trying to separate an abstract "China/Chinese people" vs CCP. CCP IS comprised BY Chinese people. Why would we revolt against ourselves? It's not like we love civil war or internal conflict (that many parts of the world are suffering now. We enjoy peace).

 

I view what HK does elect to violence party during such a riot - people are seriously killed by demolitioncracy protesters! They even went far to dirupt funeral memorial arranged by opposition - it is no different than the elections by Hitler, east Ukraine, Egypt, Syria free army, or the current sitting POTUS. Did they all find happiness in voting? Perhaps. Once again proved democracy is a good way do things but not to be worshipped as a solve-it-all. Ask Goedel and Plato! 

 

Most 'mainlanders' think HK's problem as their extrem Gini index / dividing of people. Some my former transgender colleague turned influetial-protester posted lot of "HK problem can only be solved by killing half it's people, whether people have estate kill people don't have house, or people don't have house kill all people with estate". With that mindset, I doubt those pro-demolitioncracy party elected could achieve much. The Chinese way to do it is improve economy to solve social issue, which HK protesters doesn't agree as you see.

 

In any case HK choose to violate the foundation law to drift away, even a pacifist China would do what President Lincoln did, samething LoS would not tolerate separist terrorism. 

 

 

12 hours ago, ncc1701d said:

In my opinion it started when foreigners (mainlanders), went unchecked as they bought property and increased the prices so high that the youth of today have zero chance to buy property for themselves. The government’s greed to fill their coffers “for a rainy day” (even though they have 3 trillion in reserves) also caused property prices to escalate. The government gets an incredible amount from land sales to developers - so had no incentive to reign in prices. Well... it’s raining now.

Hong Kong prosperity was due to its laissez-faire policies whereby the government interference in the economic affairs beyond the minimum necessary for maintenance of peace and property rights. In a way, many Asian countries were quite jealous of Hong Kong development in spite of not having any natural resources. Some will argue that the British colonial master allowed and encourage this laissez-faire policies that brought prosperity to Hong Kong and the disparities that are the bane of youth today. 

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Hong Kong prosperity was due to its laissez-faire policies whereby the government interference in the economic affairs beyond the minimum necessary for maintenance of peace and property rights. In a way, many Asian countries were quite jealous of Hong Kong development in spite of not having any natural resources. Some will argue that the British colonial master allowed and encourage this laissez-faire policies that brought prosperity to Hong Kong and the disparities that are the bane of youth today. 

Hong Kong’s prosperity has come about by excellent governance under British rule. Consistently the freest economy in the world, police were the most highly regarded of any police force, people were content and saw a future. If it was “laissez-faire”, it certainly worked. For me personally I would say business are given too much freedom and the lack of workers rights is appalling, but that’s a different topic. To suggest that what is happening now - 22 years after hand over is because of the way the British ran the place is not justifiable. 

6 hours ago, Coremouse said:

Thanks for voting confidence on Chinese people but that's laughablely exaggerated. 

I, myself a LGBT once fought govt. for many yrs, yet like most Chinese people I know - appreciated all the improvements govt did, whether hated govt or not. China's been in turmoil since Qing dynasty up to 70s(yes atrocities are committed during Mao's era but the rest of CCP pleaded their fault and it's in textbooks), yet now China stands a great economy who doesn't serve a demolitioncracy puppet master, and lifes' been largely improved, especially(unlike LoS?) Chinese did great investment on education for everyone, you find many big Chinese figures grow out from used-to-be dirt poor rural area(often joked as 'phoenix man'). The CCP did great job to keep a 1.4bn people country with lots of complications united and forward.

 

Even though China is not fully-democratic, the CCP is largely represented what the Chinese people really are, (like the stereotypes) whether greedy, peaceful, loves study, mostly realist-atheist. Chinese people share responsibility for what CCP did good and bad, it is absolutely laughable trying to separate an abstract "China/Chinese people" vs CCP. CCP IS comprised BY Chinese people. Why would we revolt against ourselves? It's not like we love civil war or internal conflict (that many parts of the world are suffering now. We enjoy peace).

 

I view what HK does elect to violence party during such a riot - people are seriously killed by demolitioncracy protesters! They even went far to dirupt funeral memorial arranged by opposition - it is no different than the elections by Hitler, east Ukraine, Egypt, Syria free army, or the current sitting POTUS. Did they all find happiness in voting? Perhaps. Once again proved democracy is a good way do things but not to be worshipped as a solve-it-all. Ask Goedel and Plato! 

 

Most 'mainlanders' think HK's problem as their extrem Gini index / dividing of people. Some my former transgender colleague turned influetial-protester posted lot of "HK problem can only be solved by killing half it's people, whether people have estate kill people don't have house, or people don't have house kill all people with estate". With that mindset, I doubt those pro-demolitioncracy party elected could achieve much. The Chinese way to do it is improve economy to solve social issue, which HK protesters doesn't agree as you see.

 

In any case HK choose to violate the foundation law to drift away, even a pacifist China would do what President Lincoln did, samething LoS would not tolerate separist terrorism. 

 

 

Im finding it very hard to understand what you are talking about. No one is Seriously suggesting to murder half the Hong Kong residents. 
 

the recent district elections should be taken with a grain of salt when it comes to what party is preferred. There are 4 main parties (with many sub factions) and independents. Generally speaking, blue - pro government, yellow - professionals (doctors, lawyers etc), green - Democratic, red - “localists” (the violent protestors) and independent. Many of the yellow and independent lean toward the Democrats and so while it is true the elections showed a massive swing against pro China / DAB, it doesn’t show that people are pro violence - they are not. Not all districts had all parties running, so the choice may have been down to blue and yellow.

Two points. Firstly, this is what I would say to Tiananmen:

 

http://gregoryclark.net/page15/page15.html

 

Also, watch The Gate Of Heavenly Peace on Youtube.

 

Secondly, Xi didn't make himself emperor or anything like it. He holds three titles, General Secretary of the CPC, Chairman of the Central Military Commission and President of the PRC. Only the latter had fixed terms, now it's in line with the other two. He cannot make himself anything, it has to be voted on by his peers.

 

In fact the real reason it came to light is because there is currently no natural successor to Xi. All the Politburo are either too old or inexperienced. What will happen is one of the existing members will emerge given time or a new candidate will come through. Xi will in all probability serve an extra five years, i.e. 15 years rather than 10.

 

'Emperor for life' was of course coined by the western media.

 

 

22 minutes ago, Traubert said:

 

 

He cannot make himself anything, it has to be voted on by his peers.

 

 

 

 

Ah yes. The people.