Since pro-democracy protests erupted in the territory in late September, Hong Kong chief executive CY Leung has maintained that universal suffrage, a core demand of the protesters, would not be granted. On Monday, however, Leung offered a startling justification for his intransigence: Democratic reforms would disproportionately benefit the poor.

In comments to reporters gathered at his official residence, a stately mansion built by the British, Leung said "you have to take care of all the sectors in Hong Kong as much as you can," adding that "if it’s entirely a numbers game and numeric representation, then obviously you would be talking to half of the people in Hong Kong who earn less than $1,800 a month."