Pompeo calls for 'free and fair' Hong Kong Legislative Council election
Jul 14, 2020
Washington DC [USA], July 14 : After China declared primaries held by Hong Kong's pro-democratic parties on the weekend 'illegal', US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has called for a free and fair Legislative Council election in the city.
Taking to Twitter, Pompeo on Tuesday congratulated the Hong Kong's pro democrats for a successful primary.
"Congratulations to Hong Kong's pan-democrats for a successful primary. The Legislative Council election in September should be equally free and fair," Pompeo tweeted.
The territory-wide primary came less than two weeks after Beijing's imposition of the national security law on the city.
Late on Monday, Beijing's top representatives in Hong Kong labelled the primaries "illegal" and accused organisers of colluding with foreign powers in a "serious provocation" of Hong Kong's electoral system and to seize the private data of voters.
"The goal of organiser Benny Tai and the opposition camp is to seize the ruling power of Hong Kong and carry out a Hong Kong version of 'colour revolution'," said a spokesperson for the liaison office, whose chief is also in charge of implementing the national security laws.
According to South China Morning Post, a total of 5,92,211 votes were cast via mobile app and about 21,000 paper ballots were cast in the two-day primary election.
The 52 candidates were running in all five geographical constituencies, as well as in the health services and district council (second) functional constituencies.
Political activist Joshua Wong was the top candidate in Kowloon East, while two of the localists he endorsed -- former journalist Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam and incumbent lawmaker Eddie Chu Hoi-dick -- came first in New Territories East and New Territories West, respectively.
Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit, convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front, and Sunny Cheung Kwan-yang took the first two places in Kowloon West.
