Hong Kong votes for legislature with only loyalists approved

Hong Kong is voting in the first election since Beijing amended the laws that reduced the number of directly elected lawmakers and vetted candidates to ensure that only those loyal to China can run

HONG KONG -- Hong Kong was voting Sunday in the first election since Beijing amended the laws that reduced the number of directly elected lawmakers and vetted candidates to ensure that only those loyal to China can run.

The semi-autonomous territory was rocked by pro-democracy protests in 2014 and 2019, but they were crushed by security forces, followed by the imposition of a sweeping national security law that silenced most of the city's opposition activists and led others to flee abroad.

Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Minister Erick Tsang warned Saturday that foreign forces may be attempting to undermine the elections after overseas activists urged a boycott of the vote. Under the new election laws, incitement to boycott to casting invalid votes can lead up to three years in jail and a 200,000 Hong Kong dollar ($26,500) fine.

Low turnout was widely expected, with the latest survey by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute finding that 39% of respondents indicated that they are unlikely to vote.