Hong Kong 7 Sep (ANA)- Student activists have been the big winners in Hong Kong elections, just two years after they led pro-democracy protests against Chinese rule that stunned Beijing. A record turnout in Sunday's vote helped sweep the newcomers into office, most notably Nathan Law, a 23-year-old who was said to have been behind the protests in 2014. He garnered the second-highest number of votes in his six-seat Hong Kong Island constituency. Mr Law's party, Demosisto, founded earlier this year with fellow teen protest leader Joshua Wong, advocates a referendum on 'self-determination' on the future status of Hong Kong, which is in the middle of a 50-year transition period to Chinese rule. When asked about his victory, Mr Law said: 'It shows how Hong Kong people want change. In another surprising result, Yau Wai-Ching, 25, of Youngspiration, which was formed during the 2014 protests and proposes a similar plan as Demosisto, secured a seat in the Legislative Council. The group's other candidate, 30-year-old Sixtus Leung, also appeared to be headed for a win, according to incomplete results for his constituency. The newcomers pulled off their startling victories by riding a rising tide of anti-China sentiment as they challenged formidably resourced pro-Beijing rivals. They were part of a broader wave of radical activists who campaigned for Hong Kong's complete autonomy or even independence from China, highlighting fears that Beijing is eroding the city's high autonomy, as well as frustration over the failure of the 2014 protests to win genuine elections for Hong Kong's top leader. That represents a break with the established mainstream 'pan-democrat' parties, who have demanded voters be able to elect more lawmakers as well as the city's top leader, or chief executive — currently chosen by a panel of pro-Beijing elites — but never challenge the idea that Hong Kong is part of China. About 2.2 million people, or 58 per cent of registered voters, cast ballots for lawmakers in the Legislative Council, the highest turnout since the city's 1997 handover from Britain.(ANA)

FA/ANA/7 September 2016-------