Hong Kong, decked out in colorful posters and flags, yesterday voted in district-level elections that are to mark the first real test of public sentiment since pro-democracy protests crippled parts of the Chinese territory last year.
About 900 candidates are competing for 431 seats in 18 district councils, at a time when people are divided over the pace of political reform.
The results, due late yesterday, are to provide insight into how a Legislative Council election due next year and a controversial leadership poll in 2017 could pan out.
The 79-day demonstrations last year, when activists streamed onto highways to demand full democracy for the former British colony, became the biggest political challenge to the Chinese Communist Party’s leaders in years.
The protests failed to persuade China to allow a fully democratic vote in 2017. Beijing says city voters have to choose from a list of candidates it has approved.
However, they triggered what many in the financial center see as a political awakening, which has included a lively debate over how much control China’s central government should have.
Scores of new candidates have come forward since the protests, including Steve Ng Wing-tak (伍永德), 30, a former chef.
“Without the Umbrella movement, I would definitely not have run for the district council,” Ng said, referring to the democracy demonstrations. “I would’ve been more politically apathetic than most.”
The city’s streets were festooned with banners and flags, while candidates and volunteers in sashes and colorful windbreakers handed out flyers to passersby.
“If you are fighting for democracy, but not actually participating in a democratic election, you are a bit of a hypocrite,” said 29-year-old candidate Edward Lau, who took part in the democracy protests.
Others said they would not vote for a candidate who took part in “troublemaking.”
“People should not stir up trouble,” a 79-year-old retiree surnamed Yung (翁) said. “I have voted for a candidate who thinks this way.”
One of the most keenly watched seats will be that of Albert Ho (何俊仁), a Democratic Party lawmaker who faces stiff competition in the gritty new town of Tuen Mun in the western New Territories.
District councilors wield little power, acting more in an advisory role, in which they can push forward policies for the government to consider.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old