Hong Kong has rejected a Beijing-proposed bill allowing Hong Kong residents to vote for their leaders but with China's approval. During the Thursday vote, 28 Hong Kong lawmakers rejected the proposal, while eight voted in the bill's favor. There are a total of 70 lawmakers in Hong Kong.

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At the last minute, pro-government legislators staged a walkout as they saw their defeat looming near. They reportedly saw the defeat a reproach against the Chinese government, which has been exerting efforts in bringing Hong Kong closer since 1997 when they were freed by the British.

The city was gripped by massive street protests last fall because of opposition to the bill. Democrats did not accept the proposal saying that it is tantamount to "fake universal suffrage."

Albert Chan, a pro-democracy legislator who voted against the bill said the current result is a "victory."

"We do not want to have a fake democratic system in Hong Kong," he said. "We want to continue fight for genuine democracy."

However, pro-Beijing lawmaker Regina Ip said the outcome is "highly regrettable... this does not bode well for governance."

According to Beijing supporters, the bill is better than no progress at all since it allows for the city to be the only one in the People's Republic of China to elect its own leader by "one-person, one-vote balloting," reported The New York Times.

China regrets the defeat, according to The Associated Press.

On Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters that defeat was an "unwilling" sight to Beijing, adding that the issue was a domestic one and that other countries cannot intervene.

Due to the results, the electoral reform process is officially stalled, according to CNN.

According to Hong Kong and China's governments, no other reform proposals are imminent and that there are consequences for the opposition.

Democracy activists had been in hopes that free and open elections would happen after mass civil disobedience would bring pressure to the government. The mass civil disobedience included the "Occupy Movement" or "Umbrella Movement" which snarled traffic in the city for 79 days.

Since there is no longer a possibility for compromise, the democracy activists are now setting sight on the year 2047, when Hong Kong's "special status as a semi-autonomous Chinese territory" would eventually expire, thus leaving the future of the city open for new possibilities.

Tagshong kong china bill, Occupy Movement, umbrella movement, Hong Kong, china reform bill