The Hong Kong government has criticised the Economist magazine over an article about the city's recent legislative council election, saying it is "appalled by the biased reporting" and "baseless accusation that the polls were rigged".

Candidates in the Dec 19 city assembly election were vetted so only "patriots" could stand. Pro-Beijing candidates swept to victory though turnout was a record low for a vote that came some 18 months after Beijing cracked down on a pro-democracy movement in the city with a new national security law...