Several pro-independence candidates won seats in Hong Kong’s legislative election which saw a record turnout in the Chinese-controlled city on Sunday, a result likely to further strain ties with Communist Party rulers in Beijing.
Hong Kong’s pro-democracy opposition also kept its crucial one-third veto bloc in the 70-seat Legislative Council over major legislation and public funding that has helped check China’s influence.
The vote, which ushered in a new crop of legislators including a 23-year-old former protest leader who vowed to “fight” the Chinese Communist Party, underscores growing frustration with how Beijing has handled its “special administrative region” and marks a significant turning point.
The former British colony was handed back to China in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” agreement that promised to maintain the global financial hub’s freedoms and separate laws for at least 50 years, but gave ultimate control to Beijing.
Beijing officials have repeatedly warned Hong Kong not to stray too far.
In a brief statement carried by the official Xinhua news agency, China’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office said it was “resolutely opposed” to any kind of Hong Kong independence activities in the territory’s legislature.
Hong Kong independence is contrary to China’s constitution, harms national sovereignty and security and will harm Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, it added.
Despite the disqualification of six pro-democracy election candidates from the election in July on the grounds that they backed independence, at least five “localists” and younger democratic newcomers won seats, including Nathan Law, one of the leaders of mass democracy protests in 2014.
Localists put the interests of Hong Kong before those of Beijing.
“I’m quite shocked,” said Law, 23. “We inherit some spirit from the movement and I hope that can continue in the future... We still have to unite in order to have stronger power to fight the Chinese Communist Party.”