Hong Kong, June 18 (IANS): Hong Kong's parliament on Thursday rejected electoral reforms proposed by China that had introduced universal suffrage there but with a mechanism for Beijing to pre-select the chief executive candidates.

Beijing's proposal did not get the required two-thirds majority in the vote by the 70-member legislative, Efe news agency reported.

After an intense debate on the reform that began Wednesday, over 30 pro-Beijing legislators walked out.

The final count was eight in favour and 28 against but the proposal was not expected to fare any better, even with all the lawmakers present, as the bloc against it would have prevented the majority.

Pro-Beijing lawmaker Regina Ip apologised for the absence of her party members during the voting, attributing it to a lack of communication between them.

After the result was announced, pro-democracy parliamentarians threw yellow banners and umbrellas, a symbol of the "Umbrella Revolution" that the Beijing-backed proposal had sparked last year.

Hundreds of anti-reform demonstrators, standing outside the heavily-guarded legislative council building, cheered as the result was announced.

Meanwhile, Pro-Beijing parliamentarians, in favour of the proposal, apologised to the citizens of Hong Kong.

Democratic politicians who oppose the reform allege the reform denies citizens the right to directly elect future candidates.