The landslide victory by pro-democracy candidates in Hong Kong’s local election on Nov. 24 came as a resounding testimony to the antipathy and distrust toward the Chinese government.

The sentiments are shared not just by young protesters clashing with police on the streets but also by many of the city’s silent majority.

In the poll, pro-democracy candidates critical of the local government won more than 80 percent of 452 contested district council seats.

This is the first time that candidates standing for the cause of democracy have captured a majority in district councils since Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997.

Since the democracy movement started as protests against a bill to allow local authorities to detain and extradite criminal fugitives wanted in China more than five months ago, it has had far-reaching effects on people’s lives and the local economy in the semi autonomous Chinese territory.

Still, an overwhelming majority of voters supported the demands made by pro-democracy protesters.

During their election campaigns, candidates allied with the democracy movement made five key demands including an investigation into alleged police brutality and the democratic election of the city’s chief executive. The governments of both Hong Kong and China should give sincere consideration and make reasonable responses to these demands.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has been criticized for being totally under Beijing’s thumb. Her disapproval ratings stand high around 80 percent, according to opinion polls.

Hong Kong police’s excessive use of force against demonstrators prompted even some pro-China candidates to voice concerns.

The district councils do not have the power to enact ordinances or other forms of regulations but are among the most democratically elected bodies in Hong Kong with almost all the seats directly elected. As a result, the election results represent a significant manifestation of the Hong Kong voting public’s will.

A record voter turnout of 71 percent, a spectacular jump from 47 percent for the last district council election, clearly reflects a strong sense of crisis that has spread widely among people in Hong Kong across the political spectrum.

Hong Kong saw a wave of pro-democracy protests led by young people called the “Umbrella Movement” five years ago. Many citizens supported the movement, but it failed to grow in magnitude to such levels.

People in Hong Kong are now even more deeply distrustful of the Chinese government than they were at that time because of the way Beijing has been responding to the protests through the Hong Kong government it controls.

Blatant attempts to intimidate democracy advocates in Hong Kong by political leaders in Beijing have sparked anger and anxiety among people in the former British colony.

Earlier this month, the People’s Liberation Army mobilized its troops for operations on the streets of Hong Kong despite strict rules concerning its activities in the city.

While the PLA described the deployment as a “voluntary community activity” to clear barricades and debris from roads, many locals viewed the “clean-up” mission as intimidation that crossed the red line.

In a meeting last month, the Chinese Communist Party declared that the government will “establish a sound legal system and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security” in Hong Kong and other special administrative regions.

The Chinese administration of President Xi Jinping has consistently taken an iron-fisted, heavy-handed approach to dealing with pro-democracy movements and issues concerning Taiwan.

It is impossible to win public support by force. In dealing with the current unrest in Hong Kong, the Chinese government should humbly listen to the voices of the people in the city and start acting in line with the “one country, two systems” principle.

Beijing should respect the freedom and autonomy of Hong Kong and strictly restrain itself from forceful intervention in what is unfolding in the city.

The international community including Japan needs to keep a close watch on the situation in Hong Kong and voice its concerns about how Beijing handles it.

As the influence of China, which disrespects the rule of law, is spreading globally, the calls for reforms made by people in Hong Kong should not be seen by other countries merely as a matter of concern for someone else.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Nov. 26