Pro-Beijing candidates sweep 'patriots'-only Hong Kong vote amid low turnout | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Friday
June 13, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2025
Pro-Beijing candidates sweep 'patriots'-only Hong Kong vote amid low turnout

China

Reuters
20 December, 2021, 09:55 am
Last modified: 20 December, 2021, 09:58 am

Related News

  • Hong Kong leader says sudden removal of China's top official in the city was 'normal'
  • Hong Kong urges universities to facilitate students after Harvard ban
  • Chinese official says US tariff aims to 'take away Hong Kong's life'
  • Dhaka, Beijing sign 8 MoUs, 1 deal on economic, technical cooperation
  • Hong Kong will file complaint to WTO on US tariffs, official says

Pro-Beijing candidates sweep 'patriots'-only Hong Kong vote amid low turnout

Most of the dozen or so candidates who called themselves moderates, including former democratic lawmaker Frederick Fung, failed to gain a seat, succumbing to pro-Beijing rivals

Reuters
20 December, 2021, 09:55 am
Last modified: 20 December, 2021, 09:58 am
Candidates celebrate after winning in the Legislative Council election in Hong Kong, China, December 20, 2021. Photo: Reuters
Candidates celebrate after winning in the Legislative Council election in Hong Kong, China, December 20, 2021. Photo: Reuters

Pro-Beijing candidates swept to victory in an overhauled "patriots"-only legislative election in Hong Kong that was deemed regressive by critics, with turnout hitting a record low amid a crackdown on the city's freedoms by China.

The turnout of 30.2% was almost half that of the previous legislative poll in 2016, with the latest results showing almost all of the seats being taken by pro-Beijing and pro-establishment candidates.

Some of these candidates cheered on stage at the central vote counting centre and chanted "guaranteed win".

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

When asked if her political party lacked a public mandate given the low turnout, Starry Lee, the head of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) that won half of the directly elected seats, said the electoral revamp would improve governance.

"I do not believe this (the low turnout) is directly related to citizens not agreeing with this electoral system. I believe it needs some time for people to get adapted to this system," she told reporters at the vote counting center.

The election - in which only candidates screened by the government as "patriots" could run - has been criticised by some activists, foreign governments and rights groups as undemocratic. Mainstream pro-democracy parties did not participate, saying they could not endorse any candidates for a poll that was undemocratic.

Most of the dozen or so candidates who called themselves moderates, including former democratic lawmaker Frederick Fung, failed to gain a seat, succumbing to pro-Beijing rivals.

"It's not easy to push people (to vote). I think they are feeling indifferent in the present situation," Fung told Reuters.

Some overseas democrats, like Sunny Cheung, who moved to the United States to escape prosecution under the national security law, said most of Hong Kong had "consciously boycotted the election to express their discontent to the world."

The previous record low for a legislative election held after the city's 1997 return from British to Chinese rule was 43.6% in 2000.

China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong, the Beijing government's representative in the territory, gave no immediate response to Reuters questions on the result and the low turnout.

Turnout is a central issue, as observers consider it a barometer of legitimacy in an election where pro-democracy candidates are largely absent, and a crackdown under a China-imposed national security law has jailed scores of democrats who had originally wanted to run, and forced others into exile.

Under the electoral shake-up, the proportion of directly elected seats was reduced from around half to less than a quarter, or 20 seats.

Forty seats were selected by a committee stacked with Beijing loyalists, while the remaining 30 were filled by professional and business sectors such as finance and engineering, known as functional constituencies.

The turnout rate for these professional groups also fell from 74% in 2016, to 32.2%. Some sectors whose voters have traditionally been relatively pro-democracy, including education, social welfare, and law, had sharply lower turnout rates.

In 2019, the last major citywide election in Hong Kong for district councils seats, the turnout rate was 71% with around 90% of the 452 seats won by democrats.

While some observers say the low turnout could undermine the new legislature's legitimacy, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said in a statement that the 1.3 million or so ballots cast were a "show of support for the improved electoral system."

Top News / World+Biz

Beijing / hong kong

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman and Chief Adviser  Muhammad Yunus meet at Dorchester Hotel in London, UK on 13 June 2025. Photo: CA Press Wing
    National polls possible in 2nd week of February, agree Yunus, Tarique in 'historic' London meeting
  • BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury speaks at a joint press briefing after a high-level meeting of CA Prof Muhammad Yunus and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman in London on 13 June. Photo: CA's Press Wing
    BNP satisfied with Yunus-Tarique meeting outcome: Khasru
  • Rescuers work at the scene of a damaged building in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, June 13, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
    Tehran retaliates with 100 drones after Israel strikes Iran's nuclear facilities, kills military leaders

MOST VIEWED

  • Wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner showing part of its registration "VT-ANB" in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave
    Air India Dreamliner crashes into Ahmedabad college hostel, kills over 290
  • File Photo of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus: UNB
    Prof Yunus to receive Harmony Award from King Charles today
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Bangladesh mulls settlements with tycoons over offshore wealth: BB governor tells FT
  • Railway seeks Tk2,000cr foreign loans to revive coach assembly, modernise workshops
    Railway seeks Tk2,000cr foreign loans to revive coach assembly, modernise workshops
  • UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus
    Disclosure of unconfirmed Yunus-Starmer meeting shows ‘diplomatic imprudence’: Analysts
  • Brother sues Latifur's daughter, widow over alleged forgery to seize control of Transcom
    Brother sues Latifur's daughter, widow over alleged forgery to seize control of Transcom

Related News

  • Hong Kong leader says sudden removal of China's top official in the city was 'normal'
  • Hong Kong urges universities to facilitate students after Harvard ban
  • Chinese official says US tariff aims to 'take away Hong Kong's life'
  • Dhaka, Beijing sign 8 MoUs, 1 deal on economic, technical cooperation
  • Hong Kong will file complaint to WTO on US tariffs, official says

Features

Photos: Collected

Kurtis that make a great office wear

32m | Mode
Among pet birds in the country, lovebirds are the most common, and they are also the most numerous in the haat. Photo: Junayet Rashel

Where feathers meet fortune: How a small pigeon stall became Dhaka’s premiere bird market

1d | Panorama
Illustration: Duniya Jahan/ TBS

Forget Katy Perry, here’s Bangladesh’s Ruthba Yasmin shooting for the moon

2d | Features
File photo of Eid holidaymakers returning to the capital from their country homes/Rajib Dhar

Dhaka: The city we never want to return to, but always do

4d | Features

More Videos from TBS

'Historic' meeting between Yunus and Tarique underway in London

'Historic' meeting between Yunus and Tarique underway in London

2h | TBS Today
Iran warns Israel of severe retaliation

Iran warns Israel of severe retaliation

3h | TBS World
Global oil prices soar

Global oil prices soar

3h | TBS World
What did Iran say in response to the Israeli attack?

What did Iran say in response to the Israeli attack?

4h | TBS World
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net