HONG KONG: Pro-democracy candidates were poised to gain in Hong Kong's legislative elections yesterday, the only exercise in democracy in China, underlining calls for universal suffrage in the former British colony writes Clifford Coonan in Hong Kong.
However, pro-Beijing parties also made gains according to exit polls, showing that a campaign by the Chinese government to persuade the electorate it has Hong Kong's best interests at heart had been a success.
There was a relatively high turnout in the election - 1.56 million people out of 3.2 million registered to vote in the elections for the city-state's top-lawmaking body, which does not set policy but does approve legislation.
"The eventual outcome is satisfactory, it shows the Hong Kong people are quite mature," said political analyst Ivan Choy, from Hong Kong's Chinese university.
Pro-democracy candidates looked set to take 18 of the 30 seats that were directly elected, up from 17 last time, compared to nine for the pro-Beijing, pro-government side, up from seven in 2000, according to TV polls.
The opposition failed to win a majority, however, under rules that give the other 30 seats to special interest groups such as business leaders, who tend to back pro-government, pro-Beijing candidates.
Despite gains for pro-Beijing parties, analysts say a stronger democratic presence in the legislature will rattle the communist leaders in Beijing, who fear they could lose control of the territory they took back from Britain in 1997.
Popular sentiment has turned against Hong Kong's hapless chief executive Tung Chee-hwa and the Beijing government after the communist leadership ruled out universal suffrage for Hong Kong in 2007, crushing hopes for a speedy move towards more democracy. The decision prompted half a million people to demonstrate in July.
To win over Hong Kong voters, Beijing has expanded incentives for China-Hong Kong business and carried out publicity stunts, such as bringing Buddha's finger to Hong Kong and having 50 Olympic gold medallists stage a tour.
In the polling booth in Kau Yan Church in western district, there was a steady stream of people in to cast their votes. The church folk group members were practising upstairs.
A taxi-driver, Mr Wong, voted because he believed the elections were vital for Hong Kong.
"China should not meddle in Hong Kong's affairs," he said.
There have been widespread fears of threats to the promised "50 years no change" system, introduced after the handover to China in 1997, which gives the territory wide-ranging autonomy.
Andy Lam, a retired businessman, said the elections would decide the future of Hong Kong's Basic Law.
Scandals have dogged politicians during the campaign, the most damaging involving a Democratic Party member arrested last month in south China and jailed for six months of re-education for hiring a prostitute.
"This election shows that Hong Kong people don't just care about money but that we care about democracy and freedom," said Albert Cheng, a DJ famous for his uncompromising verbal attacks on the regional government and the central leadership in Beijing who was forced to quit in May after he received threats.