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Hong Kong, November 26
Hong Kong’s deeply unpopular leader Carrie Lam on Tuesday acknowledged that public dissatisfaction with her government fuelled a landslide win by pro-democracy candidates in local elections, but offered no new concessions to resolve months of violent protests.
In China, state media sought to downplay and discredit the weekend ballot that delivered a stinging rebuke to the financial hub’s pro-Beijing establishment in what was widely seen as a referendum on Lam’s handling of the unrest.
The city’s chief executive pledged to “improve governance” in the wake of the district council elections.
In a rout that stunned the semi-autonomous territory, candidates campaigning against greater control by China seized an overwhelming majority of 452 elected seats in the city’s 18 district councils, bodies that have historically been firmly in the grip of a Beijing-aligned establishment.
In the wake of the polls, pro-democracy politicians have stepped up calls for Lam to address the movement’s key demands, such as direct popular elections for the city’s leadership and legislature, and a probe into alleged police brutality against protesters.
Millions of Hong Kongers took to the streets earlier this year after Lam’s government introduced a now-shelved bill to allow extraditions to China’s opaque judicial system.
China’s state media, however, cast doubt on the vote’s legitimacy, focusing on violence that marred campaigning. The People’s Daily said, “Social unrest has seriously disrupted the process.”
An editorial in the English-language version of the China Daily said it was “skewed by intimidation and dirty tricks” that hurt pro-establishment candidates. “External forces that have helped stoke the months-long anti-government campaign also contributed greatly to damaging the election chances of pro-establishment candidates,” it said. — AFP
Beijing sets up crisis centre
Hong Kong/Shenzhen: Tightening control over efforts to manage the upheaval in Hong Kong, the Chinese leadership has set up a crisis command centre on the mainland side of the border and is considering replacing its official liaison to the restive semi-autonomous city, people familiar with the matter said. Top Chinese leaders have been managing their response from a villa on Shenzhen outskirts. Reuters
China summons US ambassador once again over HK bill
Hong Kong: China has again summoned United States Ambassador Terry Branstad to demand the Trump administration block legislation passed by both chambers of the Congress supporting pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. The foreign ministry said Vice Minister Zheng Zeguang expressed China’s strong opposition to the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act and warned that the US would “bear all the consequences that arise.” AP
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