Young Hong Kong activists make elections breakthrough

Several young activists who oppose China's control over Hong Kong have been elected to the territory's legislature in a sign of growing political polarisation and anger with Beijing.

The victory by emerging politicians including 23-year-old Nathan Law, who cut his teeth during the Occupy protests of 2014, sets the stage for a further escalation of tensions with Beijing, which vehemently rejects separatism.

“I will bring a new vision for the deomcratic movement, which is self-determination for the Hong Kong people,” said Mr Law, who will become the youngest-ever member of the city’s 70-seat legislative council.

Mr Law’s election was confirmed on Monday as results were released constituency by constituency. The full outcome will not be known until later in the day.

Young people in the semi-autonomous territory have become increasingly outspoken since the failure of the Occupy movement to win democratic concessions from Beijing, with a growing number calling for self-determination or even independence.

They accuse Beijing of undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy and rule of law through incidents from increasing political meddling to the abduction of five booksellers last year.

The rise of a more radical group of young politicians signifies a generational shift in attitudes to China, which resumed control of Hong Kong from Britain in 1997.

Hong Kong is facing further political turmoil at a time when its mainland-dependent economy is going through the “worst time for 20 years”, according to the city’s finance chief.

More than 58 per cent of the territory’s 3.8m electorate voted on Sunday, in a record turnout that underlines the deepening political rift between those supporting the establishment and those promoting democracy and greater autonomy or even independence.

Cheng Chung-tai, another newly elected legislator who is calling for a referendum on Hong Kong’s future status, said he would “use all measures to promote this idea within the legislative council” before the “constitutional crisis” when Hong Kong’s autonomy within China ends in 2047.

David Zweig, a professor of social science at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said that the rise of a new generation of politicians like Mr Law and Mr Cheng was “pretty scary for the mainland because now you have a whole generation of young people who are not patriotic [towards China].”

He compared the growing rejection of Chinese control in Hong Kong to the situation in self-governing Taiwan, where opposition to Chinese influence helped sweep the pro-independence Democratic Progressive party to power in January.

“The more the mainland pushes, the more Hong Kong society pushes back,” he said.

Before Sunday’s election, the Hong Kong government halted the candidacy of six politicians who were accused of having called for independence and it has threatened to take “follow-up action” against other candidates who support the idea.

The blocked candidates have launched a judicial review against the decision, which could prompt by-elections if it is successful.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2016