Student Nathan Law (centre) who helped lead the 2014 protests, celebrates after winning a seat at the legislative council elections in Hong Kong, on Monday (AP photo)

HONG KONG — Several pro-independence candidates won seats in Hong Kong's first major election since pro-democracy protests in 2014, prompting a robust warning from China that any independence would damage the city's security and prosperity. The former British colony was handed back to China in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" agreement that promised to maintain the global financial hub's freedoms and separate laws for at least 50 years, but gave ultimate control to Beijing. A spate of incidents, including the disappearance of five Hong Kong booksellers who later resurfaced in detention in mainland China, has aroused fears that Beijing is reneging on its promise of wide autonomy for Hong Kong under a "one country, two systems" framework. “Hopefully this will not be their main objective.”

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Voters flocked to cast ballots in record numbers with some having to wait several hours after polls closed, leading to some delays in vote counting on Monday. “It’s to help the next generation and to help myself.”

The Electoral Affairs Commission said 58 percent of an eligible 3.8 million voters had cast their ballot, up from 53 percent in 2012 and the highest legislative election turnout since 1997.
Voters in Hong Kong go to the polls for a Legislative Council election, the first major election since the 2014 pro-democracy street protests. Several young pro-independence candidates win seats in the election.