Hong Kong opposition kicks off primary elections

Hong Kong's opposition camp set up polling booths across the Chinese-ruled city on Saturday for primary elections aimed at selecting democracy candidates who stand the best chance of success in Legislative Council elections in September.

Adam Reed reports.

Hong Kong's opposition camp kicks off primary elections on Saturday (July 11).

The primaries aim at selecting democracy candidates who stand the best chance of success in Legislative Council elections in September.

Candidates set up polling booths across the Chinese-ruled city, including pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong.

"Now is the second week after the implementation of national security law.

Our voice hope to be represented by our vote and let Beijing realise people in Hong Kong choose not to kowtow to China." This come less than two weeks after Beijing imposed sweeping national security legislation on the Asian financial hub, stoking concerns that wide-ranging freedoms not seen in mainland China will be crushed.

The law punishes what China describes broadly as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, with up to life in prison.

It also allows mainland security agents to operate officially in Hong Kong for the first time.

On the eve of the primaries, police searched the office of independent pollster Robert Chung, whose Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute helps organize the election, raising concerns among activists of interference in the poll.

While the primaries are only for the opposition camp, observers are watching closely as they say the turnout at the election will serve as a test of broader opposition to the national security law.