--- description: China’s official Xinhua News Agency possibly declared the Hong Kong parliamentarians’ veto immaterial title: Beijing Tells Hong Kong That Electoral Reform Plans Remains image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt226a880cd635ae16/69885525cd1bba765f6fbe0a/rtx1h07h.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Hong Kong](/tag/hong-kong/) ## Hong Kong Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Beijing Warns Hong Kong That Rejected Electoral-Reform Plan Is Only Offer on Table ## Video: Know Right Now: Hong Kong Debates Electoral Reform [Watch (HLS stream): Know Right Now: Hong Kong Debates Electoral Reform](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/INcEmI7T.m3u8) (1:05)  _Published 2015-06-16. Hong Kong lawmakers are preparing to vote on changes to their electoral system._ by [Hannah Beech](/author/hannah-beech/) ## Hannah Beech Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 18, 2015 10:48 AM CUT  Pro-democracy legislator Claudia Mo holds a yellow umbrella, symbol of the Occupy Central movement, as she speaks to protesters after a Beijing-backed electoral package was rejected, under Chinese and Hong Kong flags outside Legislative Council in Hong Kong on June 18, 2015 Pro-democracy legislator Claudia Mo holds a yellow umbrella, symbol of the Occupy Central movement, as she speaks to protesters after a Beijing-backed electoral package was rejected, under Chinese and Hong Kong flags outside Legislative Council in Hong Kong on June 18, 2015Tyrone Siu—Reuters by [Hannah Beech](/author/hannah-beech/) ## Hannah Beech Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 18, 2015 10:48 AM CUT Jubilation among Hong Kong’s democratic forces didn’t last long. Less than five hours after local lawmakers rejected Beijing’s plan for how the territory’s next leader will be chosen, China’s official Xinhua News Agency possibly [declared](http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-06/18/c%5F134338235.htm "undefined") the Hong Kong parliamentarians’ veto immaterial. The one-sentence bulletin from Xinhua announced: --- > “” --- Last year, the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s largely rubber-stamp body, approved a plan by which Hong Kong voters could directly elect their next chief executive in 2017\. Currently, Hong Kong’s top leader is chosen by a 1,200-strong committee that is seen as sympathetic to Beijing’s interests. There was, however, a catch to the NPC’s proposal: that same 1,200-strong committee would be in charge of choosing which candidates could appear on the ballot. The NPC’s plan galvanized huge street protests in Hong Kong last year — an awakening of political consciousness that surprised even residents of the former British colony. After Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997, the territory was promised 50 years of considerable autonomy from Beijing, under a principle that was dubbed “one country, two systems.” Hong Kong’s pan-democrat lawmakers opposed Beijing’s new electoral plan as a betrayal of this principle, arguing that a filtering by a pro-Beijing committee hardly constituted “universal suffrage.” Other lawmakers maintained that the proposal was far more democratic than the current system that led to the choosing of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying — and Hong Kong should jump at the opportunity for more self-determination. The _Global Times_, a Beijing-based daily with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, decried Thursday’s veto from Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, in an [editorial](http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/927806.shtml "undefined") headlined “Sad Moment for Hong Kong\[’s\] Democratic Process.” But Xinhua’s brief announcement — which was likely readied even before the vote took place in Hong Kong, according to analysts of China’s state-run media — raised the possibility that the NPC’s judgment trumps whatever legislative exercises might have taken place in a city of 7 million in southern China. “\[The central government\] cannot ignore the decision of the Legislative Council,” says Lam Cheuk-ting, chief executive of Hong Kong’s Democratic Party, responding to the Xinhua notice. “Any political reform has to be approved by the Legislative Council, and they should have listened to the voice of the Hong Kong people.” Emily Lau, a veteran Hong Kong opposition lawmaker, cautions that the Xinhua cable may not necessarily mean that Beijing will force Hong Kong to adhere to a new method of choosing its future leader, rather that no more democratic plan will materialize in the future. “They’re saying … ‘This is the thing on offer, if you want, you can come and take it. If you don’t want, wait a few years, it will be the same thing on offer,’” says Lau. “They should trust the Hong Kong people to choose someone who can work with Beijing. And such a person exists. If Beijing would only give Hong Kong people a chance. But they are too scared.” — _With reporting by Alissa Greenberg and Joanna Plucinska / Hong Kong_ ### 79 Days That Shook Hong Kong  Pro-democracy demonstrators are sprayed with pepper spray during clashes with police officers during a rally near the Hong Kong government headquarters on Sept. 28, 2014. Xaume Olleros—AFP/Getty Images  A pro-democracy demonstrator gestures after police fired tear gas towards protesters near the Hong Kong government headquarters on Sept. 28, 2014. Xaume Olleros—AFP/Getty Images  Riot police use tear gas against protesters after thousands of people blocked a main road at the financial central district in Hong Kong, Sept. 28, 2014. AP  Policemen rest following pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong on Sept. 29, 2014. Xaume Olleros—AFP/Getty Images  A protester raises his arms as police officers try to disperse the crowd near the government headquarters in Hong Kong, Sept. 29, 2014. Carlos Barria—Reuters  Protesters gather in the streets outside the Hong Kong Government Complex on Sept. 29, 2014 in Hong Kong. Chris McGrath—Getty Images  Pro-democracy demonstrators hold up their mobile phones during a protest near the Hong Kong government headquarters on Sept. 29, 2014. Dale de la Rey—AFP/Getty Images  A protester sleeps on the streets outside the Hong Kong Government Complex at sunrise on Sept. 30, 2014 in Hong Kong. Paula Bronstein—Getty Images  Protesters take part in a rally on a street outside of Hong Kong Government Complex on Sept. 30, 2014 in Hong Kong. Anthony Kwan—Getty Images  Joshua Wong, leader of the student movement, delivers a speech as protesters block the main street to the financial Central district, outside the government headquarters building in Hong Kong Oct. 1, 2014. Carlos Barria—Reuters  Protesters react as Joshua Wong (not pictured), leader of the student movement, speaks to the crowd outside the government headquarters building in Hong Kong, Oct. 1, 2014. Carlos Barria—Reuters  A protester holding an umbrella stands on the street close to the Hong Kong Government Complex on Oct. 1, 2014 in Hong Kong. Chris McGrath—Getty Images  A local resident breaks through police lines and attempts to reach the pro-democracy tent on Oct. 3, 2014 in Mong Kok, Hong Kong. Chris McGrath—Getty Images  Policemen try to get a man to let go of a fence guarded by pro-democracy demonstrators in an occupied area of Hong Kong on Oct. 3, 2014. Philippe Lopez—AFP/Getty Images  A pro-democracy protester sleeps on a concrete road divider on a street outside the Hong Kong Government Complex on Oct. 5, 2014 in Hong Kong. Chris McGrath—Getty Images  The statue "Umbrella Man" by the Hong Kong artist known as Milk, is set up at a pro-democracy protest site next to the central government offices in Hong Kong on Oct. 5, 2014. Alex Ogle—AFP/Getty Images  A pro-democracy protester uses bamboo to strengthen a barricade blocking a major road in Hong Kong on Oct. 13, 2014. Alex Ogle—AFP/Getty Images  Demonstrators walk past notes hanging on a wall outside the Central Government Offices in the Admiralty business district in Hong Kong on Oct. 17, 2014. Brent Lewin—Bloomberg/Getty Images  Tents set up by pro-democracy protesters are seen in an occupied area outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong's Admiralty district, Nov. 12, 2014. Vincent Yu—AP  A young Hong Kong couple who did not give their names wear gas masks as they pose for a wedding photographer prior to their marriage next to the tents used by pro-deocracy demonstrators at the Admiralty protest site on Nov. 14, 2014 in Hong Kong. Kevin Frayer—Getty Images  Police face pro-democracy protesters on Nov. 19, 2014 outside the central government offices in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong. Alex Ogle—AFP/Getty Images  Pro-democracy activists join arms as they face off with police outside the Legislative Council building on Nov. 19, 2014 in Hong Kong. Chris McGrath—Getty Images  Police officers disperse pro-democracy protesters outside the Legislative Council building after clashes with pro-democracy activists on Nov. 19, 2014 in Hong Kong. Lam Yik Fei—Getty Images  Pro-democracy protesters climb up a wall as police officers disperse them outside the Legislative Council building after clashes with pro-democracy activists on Nov. 19, 2014 in Hong Kong. Lam Yik Fei—Getty Images  Pro-democracy activists sleep outside the Legislative Council building after protesters clashed with police on Nov. 19, 2014 in Hong Kong. Chris McGrath—Getty Images  Police arrest a pro-democracy protester on Lung Wo Road outside Hong Kong's Government complex on Nov. 30, 2014 in Hong Kong. Anthony Kwan—Getty Images  A young student studies in a makeshift classroom set up on a main road at a major pro-democracy protest site in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong on Dec. 1, 2014. Anthony Wallace—AFP/Getty Images  A demonstrator is taken away by policemen, at an area previously blocked by pro-democracy supporters, outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong, Dec. 11, 2014. Athit Perawongmetha—Reuters  Pro-democracy protesters remove signs placed up during the past two months of protests from the area around the protest camp but leave intact the notice "We are dreamers" in the Admiralty in Hong Kong on Dec. 11, 2014. Pedro Ugarte—AFP/Getty Images  Hong Kong police dismantle the remains of the pro-democracy protest camp in the Admiralty district of Hong Kong on Dec. 11, 2014. Pedro Ugarte—AFP/Getty Images ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3926065/beijing-hong-kong-electoral-reform-occupy-central-umbrella-revolution/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3926065/beijing-hong-kong-electoral-reform-occupy-central-umbrella-revolution/"},"headline":"Beijing Warns Hong Kong That Rejected Electoral-Reform Plan Is Only Offer on Table","datePublished":"2015-06-18T10:48:41.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T05:02:59.063Z","description":"But overruling Hong Kong's own legislature could spark a fresh wave of street protests","url":"https://time.com/3926065/beijing-hong-kong-electoral-reform-occupy-central-umbrella-revolution/","keywords":["Hong Kong","Hong Kong topic","China","democracy","Occupy Central","Umbrella Revolution"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt226a880cd635ae16/69885525cd1bba765f6fbe0a/rtx1h07h.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Hannah Beech","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/hannah-beech/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt226a880cd635ae16/69885525cd1bba765f6fbe0a/rtx1h07h.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Pro-democracy legislator Claudia Mo holds a yellow umbrella as she speaks outside Legislative Council in Hong Kong","caption":"Pro-democracy legislator Claudia Mo holds a yellow umbrella as she speaks outside Legislative Council in Hong Kong","creditText":"Tyrone Siu—Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/hong-kong/","name":"Hong Kong"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3926065/beijing-hong-kong-electoral-reform-occupy-central-umbrella-revolution/","name":"Beijing Warns Hong Kong That Rejected Electoral-Reform Plan Is Only Offer on Table"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Know Right Now: Hong Kong Debates Electoral Reform","description":"Hong Kong lawmakers are preparing to vote on changes to their electoral system.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/INcEmI7T/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-06-16T08:04:32.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/INcEmI7T.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3926065/beijing-hong-kong-electoral-reform-occupy-central-umbrella-revolution/","duration":"PT1M5S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3926065/beijing-hong-kong-electoral-reform-occupy-central-umbrella-revolution/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```