Hong Kong pro-democracy candidates have made limited gains against the Beijing camp in legislative polls as voters wary of alienating their communist rulers chose stability.
The election on Sunday for the 60-seat Legislative Council had been portrayed by democrats as a virtual referendum on gaining the right to elect all the city's leaders. But Beijing's carrot-and-stick policies and a complicated voting system favoured pro-Beijing politicians.
In a blow for pro-democracy forces, their candidates won 18 directly elected seats, just one more than in the last election and well below expectations, despite a record 55.6 per cent voter turnout, final results showed.
Wary of angering Beijing and keen to safeguard economic prosperity that depends on the mainland, voters ensured a better-than-expected showing for the pro-Beijing camp. It took 12 of the 30 directly elected seats, up from just seven in 2000.
However, results for the other 30 seats, elected by small professional groups, such as lawyers and doctors, and traditionally dominated by the pro-Beijing forces brought the camps' totals to almost the same level as in 2000.
The Beijing camp took 34, unchanged, the democrats gained three to 25 and independents won one, down from four.
"I am disappointed. It shows how unacceptable the electoral system is," said Mr Martin Lee, ex-chairman of the Democratic Party, referring to the byzantine proportional representation system.
"The population has reconsidered its aspirations for the future of Hong Kong," said Jasper Tsang Yok-hing, former chairman of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB). "They want stability, harmony and we're the only one who bears this banner."