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| China issues warning over Hong Kong after election blow | China issues warning over Hong Kong after election blow |
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| Beijing re-emphasises its rule in response to defeat for pro-government candidates | Beijing re-emphasises its rule in response to defeat for pro-government candidates |
| China’s government has responded to a stunning landslide victory for pro-democracy candidates in the Hong Kong elections by emphasising that the city will always be ruled from Beijing, and warning against further protest violence. | China’s government has responded to a stunning landslide victory for pro-democracy candidates in the Hong Kong elections by emphasising that the city will always be ruled from Beijing, and warning against further protest violence. |
| The foreign minister, Wang Yi, warned against “attempts to disrupt Hong Kong”, as a few hundred people took to the streets again in support of protesters holed up in a university that has been under siege by police for over a week. | The foreign minister, Wang Yi, warned against “attempts to disrupt Hong Kong”, as a few hundred people took to the streets again in support of protesters holed up in a university that has been under siege by police for over a week. |
| “No matter how the situation in Hong Kong changes, it is very clear that Hong Kong is a part of Chinese territory,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Tokyo. “Any attempts to disrupt Hong Kong or undermine its stability and prosperity will not succeed.” | “No matter how the situation in Hong Kong changes, it is very clear that Hong Kong is a part of Chinese territory,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Tokyo. “Any attempts to disrupt Hong Kong or undermine its stability and prosperity will not succeed.” |
| The election results pose a dilemma for Beijing, and Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam. Hand-picked to rule by party leaders, she is widely accepted to have coordinated her hardline response to protesters with China’s top leadership. | |
| Before the vote, Lam often claimed she had the support of a “silent majority”, as she refused to compromise. With that position untenable after pro-government candidates were swept from power across the city, holding on to barely one in 10 seats on district councils, she took a more conciliatory approach. | Before the vote, Lam often claimed she had the support of a “silent majority”, as she refused to compromise. With that position untenable after pro-government candidates were swept from power across the city, holding on to barely one in 10 seats on district councils, she took a more conciliatory approach. |
| On Monday, she promised to respect the election results and “listen humbly” to the views of the public. Refusing to compromise would almost certainly inflame residents and protesters further, nearly six months into a deep political crisis. | On Monday, she promised to respect the election results and “listen humbly” to the views of the public. Refusing to compromise would almost certainly inflame residents and protesters further, nearly six months into a deep political crisis. |
| But the resounding democratic rejection of China’s plans for Hong Kong presents the autocratic president, Xi Jinping, with one of the most serious challenges to his rule since he took power in 2012, and it is far from clear if he will be willing to climb down. | |
| Most Chinese media sidestepped mentioning the results when they reported on the elections, saying only that polls had closed in Hong Kong. | Most Chinese media sidestepped mentioning the results when they reported on the elections, saying only that polls had closed in Hong Kong. |
| Hours after Wang’s comments, a ministry spokesman Geng Shuang also avoided directly commenting on the results, but made a fresh attack on the protest movement, which China has repeatedly claimed is being supported by foreign powers seeking to undermine the country. | Hours after Wang’s comments, a ministry spokesman Geng Shuang also avoided directly commenting on the results, but made a fresh attack on the protest movement, which China has repeatedly claimed is being supported by foreign powers seeking to undermine the country. |
| “The most urgent task for Hong Kong at present is to stop violence, control chaos and restore order,” Geng said, according to reports on state media. “The Chinese government is unswervingly determined to safeguard national sovereignty, and to oppose any interference in Hong Kong affairs by external forces.” | “The most urgent task for Hong Kong at present is to stop violence, control chaos and restore order,” Geng said, according to reports on state media. “The Chinese government is unswervingly determined to safeguard national sovereignty, and to oppose any interference in Hong Kong affairs by external forces.” |
| But in a reminder of the protesters’ commitment and the volatile situation, by Monday evening a crowd had gathered outside the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where a handful of protesters were still under siege by police, and newly elected pro-democratic councillors went to meet them inside. | But in a reminder of the protesters’ commitment and the volatile situation, by Monday evening a crowd had gathered outside the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where a handful of protesters were still under siege by police, and newly elected pro-democratic councillors went to meet them inside. |
| On Weibo, China’s equivalent to Twitter, it was clear that some news had leaked behind the great firewall that cuts the country’s internet off from the world wide web. “Now we can see clearly who is the minority,” wrote one user, in reference to Lam’s frequent claims that the protesters were just a small but vocal group. | On Weibo, China’s equivalent to Twitter, it was clear that some news had leaked behind the great firewall that cuts the country’s internet off from the world wide web. “Now we can see clearly who is the minority,” wrote one user, in reference to Lam’s frequent claims that the protesters were just a small but vocal group. |