The Hong Kong Legislative Council on Thursday voted down proposed reforms to how the city selects its leader, with less than two thirds of lawmakers approving the plan. Hong Kong's chief executive Leung Chun-ying, along with other political heavyweights, said he is deeply disappointed with the result.This is a sad moment for Hong Kong's progress towards democracy. The collective objection from the pan-democrats knocked back any hope for "one person, one vote" elections. All those who voted against the blueprint might be cocky today, but they will face the judgement of history and shoulder the responsibility eventually. And history won't recognize what they did today.

Hong Kong has missed a chance of political reform. And it's a pity that the pan-democracy camp won't understand it. But the truth will unfold, Hong Kong society will recognize the facts, and put political pressure on the pan-democrats to act in the right way.

What's important for now is that life in Hong Kong will go on. Against the background of failed political reform, each side should reach a consensus to maintain stability, and switch their attention to the economic and social development of the city.

According to Beijing's August 31 decision, if the reform plan fails to pass, Hong Kong will maintain the current election system and its chief executives will be elected by the 1,200-member election committee

The pan-democratic lawmakers must accept this fact since they have rejected the reform. If they don't stop but organize more drastic street demonstrations, they will push Hong Kong to a dead end and mean a life and death struggle with the Basic Law. In that case, Hong Kong will face dismal prospects.

We are concerned that a Pandora box is being opened in Hong Kong and various devils are released to ruin the region's future. People who love Hong Kong should work to keep the box tightly closed so that Hong Kong won't degenerate from the capital of finance and fashion to a total mess.

The Hong Kong opposition camp shouldn't overestimate their power. The high yardstick under which the reform plan needs to win a two-thirds majority has enabled a minority of pan-democrats to kidnap the opinion of the mainstream. They are misguided if they think they represent the mainstream public and can indulge themselves in doing whatever they like. 

Hong Kong needs to gradually re-accumulate a consensus on the political reform in the future. The city should focus its public attention on improving the livelihood and rebuilding its competitiveness. The opposition camp is wrong if it thinks they are unstoppable, citing the fact that they vetoed the reform plan endorsed by the central government. 

It's a great regret that the reform proposal has been refused. However, it's not an embarrassment to the country, but a humiliation to the radical opposition camp. A starting line needs to be redrawn from now on. The clear-cut goal in the future is to maintain Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, avoiding the city being plagued by division. The opposition, out of respect for constitutional governance, must bear in mind that they are in the minority and should not pin their hopes on dominating Hong Kong's future.