Hong Kong Rejects China’s Election Plan

On Thursday, Hong Kong lawmakers rejected a China-backed proposal to change how the territory elects its top official—the same proposal that set off waves of street protests last year. Beijing’s plan would have allowed Hong Kong voters to pick from two or three candidates chosen by a 1,200-person committee dominated by Beijing loyalists. “Let us show the world that we are not fools,” Claudia Mo, a Hong Kong legislator, said during a televised debate. “If you want to be true to the words democracy and universal suffrage, ladies and gentlemen, all Hong Kongers, we have no option but to vote against it.”