Huge pro-China boost in Hong Kong's local elections

Hong Kong's pro-China parties, led by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), did even better than expected in Sunday's District council elections, winning 115 out of 364, seats - up from the previous 62 seats. If you read Chinese all the numbers are here. English-language news reports here and here. Offers of resignations were heard this morning on the Democratic side.

Daisann McLane, author of the wonderful "Learning Cantonese" blog has just written a long post about her Saturday spent with pro-democracy politician Leung Kwong-hung - better known as "Long Hair" - while he went out to mobilize pro-democracy voters this weekend. She also hung out with Chan Po Ying, a district council candidate running in Kwun Tong under the League of Social Democrats. Daisann describes a situation in which the non pro-China vote appeared to have been split in Kwun Tong by what she called a "parachute" Civic Party candidate. The DAB incumbent won. Daisann analyzes the outcome as follows:

It is also human nature to follow the leader. And that is what the DAB is all about. They're taking orders from the Big Party over the border, demonstrating a lockstep discipline that Republican Chairman Karl Rove can only dream of. Meanwhile the pan-Democrats are trying to forge a winning team from a loud, messy family that includes wealthy barristers, feisty unionists, grassroots activists and civil servants with expensive hairdos. The DAB aren't really great campaigners. Their "platform" consists of repeating the correct party line, and their repertoire of tactics is straight out of the old school political playbook: smears, threats and a chicken and rice box for every voter. But compared to the pan-Dems, they look like pros.

She quotes Long Hair's final analysis: "We messed up the district council elections. We should have been more organized."

Through the work of my students I've been trying to follow this whole thing pretty closely. You can find more about Hong Kong's District Council elections at our Hong Kong Stories website than you'll find anywhere else in English that I know of. It's clearly student work - most had never covered an election before and some have still got some things to learn about reporting- but it gives a flavor I think for the atmosphere, issues, developments and personalities involved with Sunday's race. 

Hong Kong's elections are a great testing ground for the folks up North in Beijing:  They're learning how to go about winning elections against liberal democrats.

Comments

[Daisann McLane]

Hi Rebecca-thanks for the nice mention.

Although the media is spinning this election as a big win for pro-Beijing forces in HK, I think it is useful to look past the spin, and more closely at the numbers.

There are 405 district council seats. The DAB won 115. 94% of those (108) were incumbent seats. So the DAB picked up a total of 7 seats.

True, the Democratic Party only won 59 seats. But there are two new pan-Democrat parties in action that weren't around in 2003. If you total up ALL the pan-Dem wins, it comes to 93 seats, which is pretty respectable, considering the DAB had the bigger campaign treasure chest by far.

And the most important number: the largest group of winning district council candidates, 183, ran on local issues and declared themselves as "independents."

To me, the numbers suggest not that Hong Kong voters are leaning towards Beijing, but rather thinking locally.

[Rebecca MacKinnon]

Hi there Daisann! Great point. What's interesting, though, is the fact that when people acted in their local interests at least in this case, the pro-China camp beneifitted most. I wonder if over time this might make Beijing less afraid of the democratic process.
In the U.S., a lot of liberals have made the mistake of assuming that because they're liberal their platforms must obviously be in the best interest of the common man, and that anybody with intelligence who is thinking independently would recognize that. They've paid a heavy price for such attitudes. A lot of the commentary here has implied similar things about Hong Kong's liberal camp. I haven't been in Hong Kong long enough to pass judgment but it seems plausible to me based on what I've observed so far.

[elliottng]

Hi (just added you to Reader :) Interesting coverage. Your concluding point seems both encouraging and concerning. Maybe a smooth transition to democracy requires the ruling party to feel a strong likelihood of success in a more democratic system. Is this generally true? (Mexico? Chile?) What's a bit depressing is that pro-democracy groups in HK have had 20+ years to get their act together. What grassroots groups have learned the most from the HK laboratory, which are then applicable to China? Thanks for the coverage.

[mahathir_fan]

"Hong Kong's pro-China parties, led by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), did even better than expected in Sunday's District council elections,...........Offers of resignations were heard this morning on the Democratic side."

I'm confused. You just said in the beginning of the paragraph that the Democratic Alliance did VERY well at the election and then at the last sentence you said that members of that Democratic party is demanding resignations. If they did well, why are their members demanding resignations?

[Clarke]

Very interesting comments, especially by Long Hair. His admission sums up the paltry state of affairs of the pan-dems. After all these years if they still can't be trusted to "organize" they don't deserve any support. They've had this silly sense of entitlement ever since '97 and they've grown soft.

And it's certainly no spin- anyway you slice it the dems have lost big-time when they should easily be roaring ahead.

Will the pan-dems ever realize that they'll always lose when they play in a game rigged by Beijing? Probably not.

[Chris]

I observed the election campaign where I live in the New Territories. A DAB guy vs. a guy from the pro-democratic union. While both platforms focused on local issues, what seems to be the right thing to do in HK at the moment, I was wondering why a Unions guy tried to compete in a district which includes a large housinging estate of the upwardly mobile middle class?! The DAB guy and his volunteers were hovering around the area almost non-stop for the last two weeks, while I didn't see the Union guy once. I probably missed him, but it seems the DAB clearly pushed (was able to push) a lot harder. The result of 1650 vs 1450 or so votes suggests that this paid off in the end.
Yet, in the long run I tend to think somewhere along the lines of "elliottng". If the Beijing camp doesn't get more confident with being able to win in democratic elections, they will never give up their resistance to do away with Functional Constituencies. Besides full democracy being a nice thing in Hong Kong, I see the most important issue in getting rid of the "rent seeking" style rule of the tycoons through FCs. It is not only grossly unfair but also jeopardizes Hong Kong's future.
The result might also weaken the loyalists resistance to empower the district councils and teach the democracts an important lesson in terms of election strategies. So taking this into account, I am not so blue about the district elections.

[Barny Chan]

"I'm confused. You just said in the beginning of the paragraph that the Democratic Alliance did VERY well at the election and then at the last sentence you said that members of that Democratic party is demanding resignations. If they did well, why are their members demanding resignations?"

It's confusing because the reference to resignations relates to the pan-democrats in Hong Kong, NOT the DAB, who, despite the name, are not democrats.

There is another, much darker, contributory factor to the success of the DAB. Year on year, xenophobia and racism increases in HK. A vote for the DAB isn't just a vote for Beijing, it's an active vote against the outside world and other races.

[Adrian]

mahathir_fan - the confusion arises from nomenclature. There are two distinct parties with the word "Democratic" in their name. The "Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong" is actually the pro-Beijing, not-particularly-democratic-at-all party. (more here - http://www.dab.org.hk/en/index.jsp). They were the party that did well in the district council elections this week. By contrast, the "Democratic Party" are just one of a few pro-democracy (thus not-particularly-pro-Beijing) parties in Hong Kong - they didn't too well in the elections when compared with their results in 2003. Of course this time around they couldn't capitalise on issues like a strugglig HK economy and proposed anti-dissent legislation.

Could the pro-democracy parties have done better? Most definitely - they are not very good though at articulating policies other than uiversal suffrage, and even that has it's problems, as no-one can seem to agree on the best way to implement it. I thought that perhaps the experience of the recent barbenders strike might have been a useful clue for them but apparently not. In that strike the pro-Beijing trade union representing the striking workers didn't represent them properly (preferring to toe the government line) so the workers had to turn to the pro-democracy Confederation of Trade Unions. There is large wedge there for anyone who want to exploit it - the DAB will always do what Beijing wants, EVEN if it's not in the interests of their natural constituents (the urban poor, the aged, the working class). If a genuine pro-democracy, pro-working class party could emerge in Hong Kong (instead of the usual collection of smug Barristers) perhaps the DAB could have a lot of their support taken away...

[Daisann McLane]

Adrian said:

"If a genuine pro-democracy, pro-working class party could emerge in Hong Kong (instead of the usual collection of smug Barristers) perhaps the DAB could have a lot of their support taken away..."

That party exists: it is the League of Social Democrats, a splinter party formed last year by Legco members Leung Kwok Hung and Albert Chan Wai Yip, along with radio commentator Wong Yuk Man, district councillor Andrew To Kwan Hang and former Legco member and epidemiologist Dr. Lo Wing Lok.

The "LSD" (gotta do something about that English acronym, guys)has figured out that if the HK democracy movement is going to be more than a one-issue movement, it has to evolve in the direction of a Euro-style Socialist Democratic party.

They aren't the best organized group of politicians, certainly not known for their discipline, and their budget is bargain basement to say the least. But the party membership has grown rapidly in just a year. They just won 6 seats in the DC elections.

Legco member Leung Kwok Hung spent most of August out on the hustings with the striking bar-benders, incidentally.

[mahathir_fan]

Would the democratic process of Hong Kong speed up faster if Hong Kong is reunited with Guang Zhou?

Afterall, people in Guang Zhou already enjoy universal suffrage. Given that political parties in Hong Kong are already established, it would make it illegal for the Chinese government to close them down after reunification with Guang Zhou.

And then you guys can open up the market to the rest of China.

Anyway, technically, that is the way it was suppose to be, that Hong Kong be returned back to Guang Zhou since it was taken away from Guang Zhou.

Win or lose, it is good to see such developments. Imagine if Hong Kong is still a British colony, we wouldn't even be having this discussion. The British parliament will decide for you.

[Charles Liu]

You know, in America every political candidate is pro-America, even the fringe opposition.

They maybe "anti-establishment", but no one in US runs on "anti-America" ticket.

BTW, the "not-particularly-democratic" character assassination is easily dispelled by the fact of their participation (and wins) in the election.

[Jesse Lee]

I think Martin Lee's flap costed the pan-dems quite a few votes. The pan-dems need to be careful not to have these John Kerry moments.

Also- replying to Barny- do you really think the HK people are becoming racist? I see it differently- I think more and more HK people are becoming hyper-critical of mainlanders. Especially with all the well publicized issues of mainland women coming to HK to give birth. HK people may love the mainland stocks, but they don't have much love for the 'free-walking' mainlanders.

[barny chan]

"replying to Barny- do you really think the HK people are becoming racist? I see it differently- I think more and more HK people are becoming hyper-critical of mainlanders"

Yes, I do think that HK people are becoming more racist, but I'm well aware of the (in some ways contradictory) patronising treatment of mainlanders - it was with that in mind that I specifically referred to the increase in xenophobia as well as racism.

People of south Asian descent who are (unlike their western counterparts) absolutely fluent in Cantonese, whose families have lived in the city for generations, are still treated as absolute outsiders. Domestic workers from the Philippines and Indonesia put up with daily, and worsening, demeaning treatment from their employers. It makes a mockery of the Asia's World City tag.

[Chris]

@ Daisann
I was going to mention the LSD guys. How many members do they have now?
I recently asked Prof. Ma Ngok from Chinese U about why the democrats in HK don't exploit the injustice that is produced and reinforced through the FC system more. There is much to be politically exploited for sure. It is not out of coincidence that HK is has the most unequal income distribution among developed economies on this planet. He reminded me about the deep rooted belief in the capacity of the HK style "so called" unfettered capitalism among the middle class supporters of "the democrats". Ngok mentioned that Chris Pattern once said that the democrats in HK are actually more conservative than the conservatives in his Tory party. I guess he was hinting mainly at what is called economic conservatism. Last year I have been to a Civic Party debate and I was amused how they tried to argue that HK would not develop into a - scary, scary - welfare state would it become democratic.
What I meant with my rant was, that there is actually much potential for a group like the LSD. I guess the DAB strategists are pretty aware of this. I wish them all the best because I haven't got much love for the HK tycoon schmock.
@ Mathahir_Fan
Can't follow you. What universal suffrage do people in GZ enjoy? I guess you are confusing sth. there.

[Rebecca MacKinnon]

@Chris, Mahatir_Fan hangs out on this blog a lot. He believes that the PRC is a democracy. Efforts to convince him that the PRC is not a democracy have always been futile.

[mahathir_fan]

I do not wish to move the conversation away from the topic under discussion which is elections in Hong Kong.

But I do want to clarify why PRC is a democracy. Refer to the constitution:

Article 2. All power in the People's Republic of China belongs to the people.

Article 34. All citizens of the People's Republic of China who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote and stand for election,.....

Now, Chris, Do people in Hong Kong enjoy the same rights as the people in Guang Dong as accorded by Article 2 and Article 34? That is my point about returning Hong Kong to Guang Dong, so that Hong Kong people can enjoy the rights accorded by Article 2 and Article 34 as well as numerous other rights in a free and democratic society like China.

[barny chan]

Chris: "I recently asked Prof. Ma Ngok from Chinese U about why the democrats in HK don't exploit the injustice that is produced and reinforced"

Doesn't "face" play a very definite role in the often passive opposition to the worst excesses of HK politics? As an example, in most other parts of the world Donald Tsang would have been badly, possibly fatally, wounded even in a rigged election campaign. Given his self-serving colonial past it's astounding that he can sustain his position as a born-again super-patriot. Yet instead of a mass poster campaign showing him on his knees before Prince Charles as he was knighted for services to British colonialism, the democrats skirted around the contradiction. Even when Alan Leong marginally turned the heat up on Tsang during an election debate and made him look foolish, the reality is that Tsang's public approval rating went up rather than down. Being responsible for a potential loss of face was a far more serious crime in HK eyes than being a self-serving hypocrite.

m-fan: "a free and democratic society like China"

Is this a clumsy attempt at parody?

[Chris]

@ matahir
Interesting position. Maybe you should forward that to Beijing. :)

@ Barny Chan

I don't think smearing Tsang like that would have done the democrats any good. Are you a HKer? As far as I understand the "HK mentality" (not tremendously far), service under the British and in the Civil Service is not at all disregarded by the majority (exept for the few truly commited "patriots"). It is rather a tool that plays for you because it embodies the now glamorized "unbiased and neutral" government and civil service of the colonial times. The kind of politics seemingly without politics that everybody seems to dream of here. So I guess such a campaign would have backfired big time.
What I was talking about is: why not just put your finger on the long list of public long term interest policies that the tycoon controlled FC seats blocked, watered down, and obstructed. Why not attack the system as a whole a bit more and force the establishment coalition to defend it (which would be a difficult job indeed). Why not point out in practical terms the grossly inequal access to power that the system of today provides and how this affects the every day life of everybody in Hong Kong (living with monopolies, being surrounded by nonsense, concrete pouring infrastructure projects, working poverty and no minimum wages etc pp.). Instead what we hear is the message of universal suffrage over and over again without explaining to people what would actually be THEIR stake in it. The reason behing that might be, that is what Ma thinks at least, that most of the democrats are so much part of the HK establishment and grew up with this system, that they cannot agree on what they actually dislike about today except it is undemocratic. That seems not to be enough (anymore?) to the average guy in HK, and I suppose they will suffer a big time wreckage in the LegCo elections if we don't see a change in tactics here.

[barny chan]

"I don't think smearing Tsang like that would have done the democrats any good. Are you a HKer?"

But what I described wouldn't be a smear. In order to qualify as a smear it would have to involve false accusations. I find it genuinely astounding that he's able to retain his knighthood from the Brits while maintaining his current stance as Chinese super-patriot. Regarding being a HKer, no I'm not, I've lived here since 2001.

"as I understand the "HK mentality" (not tremendously far), service under the British and in the Civil Service is not at all disregarded by the majority (exept for the few truly commited "patriots")"

A colonial linked past can cut both ways. If you're Anson Chan or Regina Ip it can be used as evidence of your long standing commitment to public service. However, the very same colonial connections (actually, connections with far less personal gain) are increasingly used by HKers as a justification for hostility and discrimination against south Asians in the city.

" I guess such a campaign would have backfired big time."

I agree, which is way I pointed out that Tsang's ratings actually went up when he was trounced in debate by Leong. In HK to bluntly expose hypocrisy and cause a loss of face is a bigger crime than hypocrisy itself.

"Why not attack the system as a whole a bit more and force the establishment coalition to defend it (which would be a difficult job indeed). Why not point out in practical terms the grossly inequal access to power"

It's impossible to attack the system as a whole without it being perceived as an attack on individuals. Certainly, the tiny clique of robber barons who effectively own HK would consider it a personal attack and respond accordingly. The level of intimidation (physical and economic) directed at those who challenge the status quo is much higher than most outsiders and expats can ever be aware of.

"Instead what we hear is the message of universal suffrage over and over again without explaining to people what would actually be THEIR stake in it. The reason behing that might be...that most of the democrats are so much part of the HK establishment and grew up with this system, that they cannot agree on what they actually dislike about today except it is undemocratic. That seems not to be enough (anymore?) to the average guy in HK"

It isn't enough. The "democrats" in HK are just a drab version of Pepsi competing against the tastier, sexier, Coca Cola of the "patriots".There can be no greater symbol of the aimlessness of the democrats than the elevation of the absurd Anson Chan to figurehead.

[Chris]

"The level of intimidation (physical and economic) directed at those who challenge the status quo is much higher than most outsiders and expats can ever be aware of."

Nothing would surprise me in this regard. Sadly...