The pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong received more than half of the votes in the weekend's legislative council election, but it failed to win a majority. Despite this, voter turnout increased, and all parties advocated the direct election of the Special Administrative Region's (SAR) chief executive, showing that people's desire for democracy cannot be stopped.
Yet democracy cannot happen overnight. People of Hong Kong need to demonstrate more determination in order to challenge Beijing. The election revealed that Hong Kong's people increasingly seek democratic reforms, as seen in the turnout rate, intensified campaigns and the nominees' diverse backgrounds.
Though the pro-democracy opposition only won three more seats than before, this time people like ``Longhair'' Leung Kwok-hung (
Whether China's "one country, two systems" policy can succeed in Hong Kong will influence its policy toward Taiwan as well as the power struggle among Beijing's leadership. This increases the international community's interest in the election.
Hong Kong voters expressed their desire for democracy; even the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong has campaigned for a direct election for the SAR chief executive. Future political reform will focus on this issue and direct elections for the legislative council in 2012.
Chief executive Tung Chee-hwa's (
It is worth noting that Beijing has learned much about elections from Taiwan and is playing a dual strategy.
On one hand, it is offering economic and infrastructure benefits, and is using its medal-winning Olympic athletes as nationalist icons. At the same time it is repressing opposition and using smear campaigns against its opponents. It has paid a price but still won the elections, and this is likely to give Beijing greater confidence in such situations.
The legislative elections were exciting, but as the council is unrelated to the territory's executive power, the result is not particularly relevant to Taiwan. But the DPP, in speaking to the international community, has repeatedly used the regression in Hong Kong's rule of law, democracy, human rights and media freedom as a reason why Taiwan cannot accept China's "one country, two systems" policy.
The nation should clarify its message, on the one hand encouraging Hong Kong's democratic aspirations and providing its residents with the benefit of our experience, while at the same time criticizing Beijing's strategies.
Reformists fought for 50 years against the authoritarian government of the Chinese Nationalist Party to achieve the democracy Taiwan has today. Many members of the international community also provided resources and support.
Hong Kongers face an even more powerful authoritarian government, and their aspiration to create democracy under the "one country, two systems" structure is wishful thinking. What Hong Kongers can achieve is to delay Chinese repression and win a little breathing space.
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