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Hong Kong elections swept by Pro-Beijing candidates

Hong

It is clear that Hong Kong is not in favor of communism, and the proof is that Chinese authorities excluded most pro-democracy candidates from the ballot, and we are back to business as usual where China is concerned. Even though Hong Kong authorities are satisfied with the results, the 30.2% voter turnout — the lowest since the British handed Hong Kong over to China in 1997, shows many were not interested. As reported by the AP:

Candidates loyal to Beijing won a majority of the seats in Sunday’s election after the laws were changed to ensure that only pro-Beijing “patriots” could run the city

HONG KONG (AP) — Candidates loyal to China’s Communist Party won a landslide victory in Hong Kong’s legislative elections after pro-democracy activists were imprisoned and authorities received the power to exclude those deemed inappropriate for office.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam listens to reporters’ questions during a press conference in Hong Kong, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. Lam said during a news conference Monday that she was “satisfied” with Sunday’s legislative election despite a 30.2% voter turnout, the lowest since the British handed Hong Kong over to China 1997. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

Candidates loyal to Beijing won a majority of the seats in Sunday’s election after the laws were changed to ensure that only pro-Beijing “patriots” could run the city.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said during a news conference Monday she was “satisfied” with the election despite a 30.2% voter turnout — the lowest since the British handed Hong Kong over to China in 1997.

Members of New People’s Party, from left, Judy Chan, Eunice Yung, Lai Tung-kwok, Regina Ip, Dominic Lee and Marcus Liu pose for a photograph during a press conference after winning the legislative election in Hong Kong, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. Pro-Beijing candidates dominated Hong Kong’s legislative elections, beating out moderates and independents in the city’s first public poll after Beijing passed a resolution to amend the city’s election laws. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

She said that the number of registered voters reached 92.5%, a record high compared to the 2012 and 2016 elections, when around 70% of voters had registered.

“For registered voters, deciding whether they want to exercise their voting rights in a particular election is entirely a matter for themselves,” she said.

“In this election, 1.35 million voters cast their votes. They did not just return candidates of their choice to LegCo, and I think it was also because of their support for the improved electoral system,” said Lam, referring to the city’s Legislative Council.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam listens to reporters’ questions during a press conference in Hong Kong, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

Under the new laws, the number of directly elected lawmakers was reduced from 35 to 20, even as the legislature was expanded from 70 to 90 seats. Most of the lawmakers were appointed by largely pro-Beijing bodies, ensuring that they make up the majority of the legislature.

All candidates were also vetted by a largely pro-Beijing committee before they could be nominated.

Lam said that even if there was a high turnout based on “poor politics,” such as the political polarization during the period of political strife in 2019, that is “not something we should be glad to have.”

Starry Lee, an elected pro-Beijing legislative council candidate from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong party, said the 30% turnout was within “general public expectation.”

Members of pro-Beijing party Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB), including Starry Lee Wai-king, fifth from right, clap hands during a press conference after winning 19 seats in the Legislative election in Hong Kong, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. Pro-Beijing candidates dominated Hong Kong’s legislative elections, beating out moderates and independents in the city’s first public poll after Beijing passed a resolution to amend the city’s election laws. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

“As I have mentioned before, this is a new system, this is a system that we call patriots administrating Hong Kong,” Lee said.

“This is a different one from the previous one, therefore you cannot compare directly. And I believe that with the new system, people need time to get used to that.”

The opposition camp has criticized the elections, with the largest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party, fielding no candidates for the first time since the 1997 handover.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said there were “multiple reasons” for the decline in voter turnout.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam listens to reporters’ questions during a press conference in Hong Kong, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. Lam said during a news conference Monday that she was “satisfied” with Sunday’s legislative election despite a 30.2% voter turnout, the lowest since the British handed Hong Kong over to China 1997. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

“It is not only the impact of the pandemic, but also the disruption and sabotage of anti-China elements in Hong Kong and external forces,” Zhao said at a daily briefing.

Some overseas pro-democracy activists, including London-based Nathan Law, urged a boycott of the vote, saying the elections were undemocratic. Under the new election laws, incitement to boycott the voting or to cast invalid votes could be punished by up to three years in jail and a 200,000 Hong Kong dollar ($26,500) fine.

Lam said she expects that work with the 90 legislators will be “very exciting” because they have different opinions on many social issues.

Members of pro-Beijing Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, including Stanley Ng Chau-pei, center in front, attend a press conference after winning the Legislative election in Hong Kong, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. Pro-Beijing candidates dominated Hong Kong’s legislative elections, beating out moderates and independents in the city’s first public poll after Beijing passed a resolution to amend the city’s election laws. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Lam was expected to travel to Beijing later Monday on a duty-reporting trip, which she says is to give a full account to Beijing of the latest political and economic situation in Hong Kong.

“I expect to cover a wide range of issues on this particular duty visit because through two very decisive acts of the central authorities, Hong Kong is now back on the right track of ‘one country, two systems,'” she said.

By ZEN SOO

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