HONG KONG ELECTIONS RILE CHINA

"This absolutely guarantees that Beijing will throw out the legislature when it takes over in 1997," says former Hong Kong bureau chief William Dowell of yesterday's landslide victory for Hong Kong's pro-democracy candidates. "It has put Hong Kong's government on a collision course with China." The election -- in which Democrats won 12 of 14 open seats -- was the last scheduled before Britain transfers control of Hong Kong to China next July 1. Before the results were announced, the Chinese government said it would remove the legislature when it assumes power. TIME'S Dowell warns that taking away Hong Kong's autonomy could damage China. Says he: "Sixty-five percent of China's imports come through Hong Kong Harbor. If Hong Kong is effectively closed down, or if no one wants to do business with them, it could cut China off from the rest of the world."