Hong Kong's major highway reopens, authorities appeal for calm

Hong Kong's one of the most important highways connecting the Cross-Harbour Tunnel reopened early on November 27 which is situated nearby the Polytechnic University. The Hong Kong authorities appealed the protestors to maintain calm seeing clashes over the weekend during the local elections where pro-democracy candidates swept a landslide victory. Meanwhile, the Chinese authorities urged to stop the violence and restore order after the election. The restoration of vehicular movement through the Cross-Harbour Tunnel came after anti-government protesters barricaded themselves in the Polytechnic University and encroached the tunnel's entry-exit points two weeks ago.

READ: China Sets Up Hong Kong Crisis Center In Mainland, May Replace Official Liaison

China sets up crisis command centre

China has finally set up a crisis command centre on the mainland side of the border and is considering replacing its official liaison. As the violent protest escalated in Hong Kong, the top Chinese leaders in recent months have been managing their response from a villa on the outskirts of Shenzhen. The communications between Beijing and Hong Kong are done through a Chinese government body. The Liaison Office is situated in Hong Kong. Beijing dissatisfied by the  Liaison Office's handling of the crisis is considering to replace the body's director Wang Zhimin and two other people familiar with the situation.

READ: Chinese Papers Avoid Details Of Hong Kong's Democratic Election

Elections amid high political instability

The Democratic election was held in the country after massive protests broke out in the country against the government after it proposed a controversial extradition bill. The bill now stands withdrawn. Total turnout exceeded 2.94 million voters, a rate of 71 per cent, surpassing a record from the previous legislative council election in 2016 of about 1.47 million. A record 4.1 million people, including 4,00,000 new voters, signed up to cast ballots in the poll. The protests started in June over a now-abandoned extradition bill. However, it later escalated to include demands for democratic elections for the city’s leader and legislature, and an independent probe into alleged police brutality in suppressing the protests. A statement was released by the government in which the executive leader, Carrie Lam said the government will certainly listen humbly to citizens' opinions and revert back on them seriously. 

READ: Chinese Foreign Minister: Hong Kong Part Of China 'no Matter What'

READ: People Of Hong Kong Hold Protest March Against Govt's Use Of Tear Gas