AFTER pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong late last year that blocked several main streets for weeks, neither the territory’s leaders nor their backers in Beijing are in any mood to make concessions. On April 22nd the Hong Kong government revealed how it would like to conduct elections in 2017 for the territory’s chief executive, as the most senior official is known. The proposal faithfully echoed the views of mainland Communist Party officials, whose disdain for a free vote had triggered the recent unrest. For the first time, Hong Kong residents will all be allowed to cast a vote for their leader. But the only candidates will be ones approved by a committee stacked with the party’s supporters.
Pro-democracy legislators were quick to show their contempt for the government’s plan. Most of them walked out of the Legislative Council (Legco) when the proposals were announced. The politicians left placards with yellow “X” symbols (see picture): yellow being the adoptive colour of last year’s protests and “X” signifying their intention to vote against the proposals when they are...Continue reading
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