--- description: Criticism of poll results, which saw the election of young politicians favoring self-determination for Hong Kong, has been severe title: Hong Kong's Election Results Slammed in Chinese Media image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0387043a6686792e/6988a4dcf887dce71be974c6/gettyimages-599515008.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 # Hong Kong's Election Results Have Been Slammed in Mainland Chinese Media by [Dominique Rowe / Hong Kong](/author/dominique-rowe/) ## Dominique Rowe / Hong Kong Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 6, 2016 7:32 AM CUT  Nathan Law, center, speaks at a rally with Joshua Wong, center left, and other supporters in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, following Law's win in the Legislative Council election on Sept. 5, 2016\. A new generation of young Hong Kong politicians advocating a break from Beijing looked set to become lawmakers for the first time on Sept. 5 in the biggest poll since mass pro-democracy rallies in 2014 Nathan Law, center, speaks at a rally with Joshua Wong, center left, and other supporters in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, following Law's win in the Legislative Council election on Sept. 5, 2016\. A new generation of young Hong Kong politicians advocating a break from Beijing looked set to become lawmakers for the first time on Sept. 5 in the biggest poll since mass pro-democracy rallies in 2014Isaac Lawrence—AFP/Getty Images by [Dominique Rowe / Hong Kong](/author/dominique-rowe/) ## Dominique Rowe / Hong Kong Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 6, 2016 7:32 AM CUT While mainland coverage of Hong Kong’s legislative elections has been [thin on the ground](https://medium.com/china-media-project/what-hong-kong-election-a004bf3b4008#.3hllhxx70 "undefined"), reactions from official media to polling results — which saw the election of young legislators [favoring self-determination](http://time.com/4478978/hong-kong-legislative-council-election-legco/ "undefined") for the semiautonomous territory — has been vociferous. State-run newspaper _China Daily_ [listed in an op-ed Tuesday](http://www.chinadailyasia.com/opinion/2016-09/06/content%5F15490895.html "undefined") the legal mechanisms that could be used to “keep separatists out” of the Hong Kong legislature so that it may “conduct its meetings free from being annoyed by those advocating separatism.” On Monday, the [state-backed _Global Times_](http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1004875.shtml "undefined") quoted a statement from the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, which said that Beijing was emphasizing its “resolute” opposition “to any form of ‘Hong Kong independence’ activities inside or outside” the legislature. The [official news agency Xinhua](http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-09/05/c%5F135664297.htm "undefined") called the Hong Kong independence movement a threat to China’s “sovereignty and security,” and said that Beijing would “firmly support” the Hong Kong government “to mete out penalties according to the law.” Chinese legal figures have previously warned those advocating independence or self-determination for Hong Kong that they face [arrest on charges of sedition](http://time.com/4291738/hong-kong-independence-demosisto-sedition-treason-arrest-hknp/ "undefined"). The Hong Kong government has also tried unsuccessfully to rein in the [rapidly growing movement](http://time.com/4440708/hong-kong-independence-china-localist/ "undefined"), threatening teachers with dismissal if they raise the subject in classrooms and [disqualifying independence activists](http://time.com/4436253/hong-kong-election-briefing-protests-edward-leung-china-independence/ "undefined") from standing in elections. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4479588/hong-kong-independence-china-legislative-council-elections-results/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4479588/hong-kong-independence-china-legislative-council-elections-results/"},"headline":"Hong Kong's Election Results Have Been Slammed in Mainland Chinese Media","datePublished":"2016-09-06T07:32:32.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T00:24:19.975Z","description":"Beijing has emphasized its \"resolute\" opposition to Hong Kong legislators advocating self-determination","url":"https://time.com/4479588/hong-kong-independence-china-legislative-council-elections-results/","keywords":["Hong Kong","Hong Kong topic","China","hong kong independence"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0387043a6686792e/6988a4dcf887dce71be974c6/gettyimages-599515008.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Dominique Rowe / Hong Kong"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0387043a6686792e/6988a4dcf887dce71be974c6/gettyimages-599515008.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"HONGKONG-CHINA-DEMOCRACY-INDEPENDENCE-ELECTIONS-POLITICS","caption":"HONGKONG-CHINA-DEMOCRACY-INDEPENDENCE-ELECTIONS-POLITICS","creditText":"Isaac Lawrence—AFP/Getty Images","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/4479588/hong-kong-independence-china-legislative-council-elections-results/","name":"Hong Kong's Election Results Have Been Slammed in Mainland Chinese Media"}}]}] ```