Anti-Beijing activists gain foothold in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council

At least four radical young activists who support greater political autonomy or outright independence from China claimed seats in Hong Kong’s 70-member Legislative Council, or Legco, after a record 2.2 million people went to the polls on Sunday.

Those elected include 23-year-old Nathan Law who was one of the leaders of the 2014 so-called umbrella movement protests.

“I think it is a miracle,” the Demosisto party member said.

“This is absolutely unexpected – nobody imagined this would happen. Every day and night, our team used hard work and sweat to turn defeat into victory,” he added.

The newly found party has called for a referendum on independence.

Law will be joined in Legco by Yau Wai-ching, a 25-year-old from a recently founded political party called Youngspiration, who received 20,643 votes.

Sixtus “Baggio” Leung, a 30-year-old from the same party who backs Hong Kong’s independence from mainland China, also appeared poised to be elected on Monday.

Leung claimed that a growing number of young people now wanted Hong Kong to break away from China after 2047, when the 50-year “one country, two systems” model expires. Hong Kong has been ruled by this system since returning to Chinese control in 1997.

Cheng Chung-tai, a 32-year-old academic from the Civic Passion party, was also elected.

Many of the emerging democratic figures came to light during the 79-day umbrella movement protests. According to the Guardian, several said that they were now convinced that only radical steps, such as independence or self determination, will secure the political concessions they seek.

“I do feel worried,” Democratic party heavyweight Albert Ho the media on the eve of Sunday’s election. “The moderate democrats are in a very difficult position.”

“Young people feel that they are being deprived of a citizens’ right to choose…. And they have a strong dislike of this authoritarian regime in China,” he said.

The activists are reportedly demanding greater democracy for the territory amid concerns that Beijing was increasingly interfering in Hong Kong politics, breaking the "one country two systems" agreement.

However, pro-Beijing politicians will retain a majority of seats, partly because of the electoral system.

Candidates were competing for 70 seats on the LegCo, which passes laws and budgets in the territory. But only 35 constituency seats are directly elected by the population.

Another 30 seats, called "functional constituencies", represent particular professions or trades and only people connected to those professions or trades can cast votes for those seats.

That is about 6% of the population, who are overwhelmingly Beijing-leaning.