Hong Kong Voters Favor Democracy

In a powerful rebuff to China, pro-democracy candidates appeared headed to a landslide victory in Hong Kong’s last election under British rule, results released Monday showed.

China has said it will annul the election when it takes over in July 1997, a threat it renewed shortly after polling stations opened Sunday.

The Democratic Party, which pledges to stand up to China in defense of Hong Kong’s freedoms, secured nine out of 20 geographical constituencies in the 60-seat legislature, the government’s elections commission said in declaring the first 12 races.

The three other declared seats also went to pro-democracy candidates, the commission said.