China puts curbs on Hong Kong democracy

Awaiting A Democratic Hong Kong

How did seven million people wake up and lose what it was promised? Sadly, how many people outside of this city actually understand what has happened? Not many. How many people care? Even less. And how many of us know what to do? None.

Speechless. Not even angry. We were raised to understand this was to happen. This was what was predicted but for ten months it seemed that it was going to be different. We fight -but how? Now we will have to wait for a Democratic China.

For us to be democratic it can only happen with a regime change. I believe we can have this happen without bloodshed, without the failings of infrastructure, and that mass starvation will not happen. I believe the Chinese people can keep it together if the communist government goes.

It happened in Poland, it happened in the USSR, it happened in East Germany. I was there so soon after, I watched as people dismantled the Berlin wall. I stood in a democratic Poland and I stood in the Soviet Union which now no longer exists. I have a stamp in my passport that reads East Germany.

Fortify thyself against the collapse of the economy to prevent the anger of the people, but one day people will want to be able, not only, make a better living but think for themselves and speak their fears, hopes and wants.

Sure the Chinese Communist Government have said they have “Not Ruled Out” the possibility of a free election in 2007, but I have no faith in the Central government any longer. They won’t even allow the Democratic Party Legislators into the country, how will they allow for the possibility of them being elected and having to deal with them directly in relations as leaders of Hong Kong? It’s not even been 10 years after the handover in 1997, my country have broken their treaties.

That’s what I think, and for now, I can still speak in this “Special Administrative Region.” Until the day I can’t, these are my thoughts.

My site is banned. That’s the sum of power the Chinese government has over me, while I sit behind a computer while in Hong Kong. They can stop people in China read what I write but they cannot stop me from thinking.

Where are the British, do they not have a word to say?

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China puts curbs on Hong Kong democracy

By Joseph Kahn and Keith Bradsher (NYT)
Wednesday, April 7, 2004

BEIJING: The Chinese authorities declared Tuesday that they would determine if and when Hong Kong residents could elect their local leaders, squashing hopes that the former British colony could chart its own course toward democracy in coming years.

The ruling, delivered as an interpretation of Hong Kong’s mini-constitution by China’s Communist Party-run congress, rebuffs popular demands for faster political liberalization and limits the territory’s leeway to change election laws.

Opposition parties in Hong Kong attacked the ruling as an infringement on the 50-year period of autonomy China promised when it replaced Britain as Hong Kong’s sovereign power in 1997 and as a big step back for democracy.

The Bush administration had urged China to let Hong Kong hold free elections and had protested Beijing’s decision to issue an interpretation of the mini-constitution.

The ruling Tuesday seems likely to add to political tensions between the two countries, which are already rising over trade issues, human rights abuses and arms sales to Taiwan.

Chinese officials characterized their decision as mild and did not officially rule out allowing the direct election of Hong Kong’s leader as early as 2007.

Beijing officials declared that they intended to “push forward” Hong Kong’s political development, but only when the “actual situation” permits and only according to a “gradual and orderly process.”

But after massive street demonstrations in Hong Kong against a Beijing-backed internal security law last year, the move Tuesday seemed tailored to ensure that the territory does not fall under the control of people the Communist Party considers dangerous or disloyal.

That category includes Hong Kong’s most popular advocates of greater democracy.

Chinese leaders are especially nervous about the threat that democracy poses to their one-party system after Taiwan voters re-elected Chen Shui-bian as president last month. Beijing sees Chen as plotting to formally separate Taiwan from China and had hoped that voters would elect Taiwan’s opposition party, which had promised to improve ties across the Taiwan Strait.

China media hails Beijing’s clamp down on political reform in Hong Kong (AFP)

Last time I looked China DIDN’T have a media. I think it was a state run megaphone.

Wed Apr 7, 1:24 AM ET

BEIJING, (AFP) – China’s state-run press hailed a legal interpretation by the mainland’s communist-run legislature as an important step that places Hong Kong’s electoral reform squarely in the hands of Beijing.

Leading mainland papers reported that the interpretation was a “timely and needed” step in realizing Beijing’s promise of a high degree of autonomy to Hong Kong when it reverted to Chinese sovereignty in 1997 under the “one country, two systems” policy.

China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) clearly stated Tuesday that any changes to Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, on how its leaders are elected would be dictated by Beijing.

“The interpretations make it clear that it falls under the authority of the NPC Standing Committee to decide whether the provisions concerning selecting of (Hong Kong’s) Chief Executive and forming of the Legislative Council need to be amended or not,” the leading People’s Daily said in an editorial.

“The high-degree of autonomy for Hong Kong has been authorized by the central authorities, the constitutional structure of (Hong Kong) is provided for by the Basic Law… and local government has no authority to decide or change its constitutional system,” it said.

The editorial said that the interpretation would be “helpful for the Hong Kong people to have a comprehensive and correct understanding” of how Beijing intends to run the former British colony.

Hong Kong opponents to the ruling claim Beijing’s promise to Britain and Hong Kong that it would allow the territory a high level of autonomy is being jeopardized by the central government’s heavy handedness over electoral reform.

Hong Kong democrats expressed disappointment and anger at Beijing’s move to quell political change, with the Democratic Party, the leading force in Hong Kong’s democracy movement, saying the ruling was a grave setback for the city’s autonomy within China.

Following the Tuesday ruling, hundreds of activists marched on downtown government offices — the scene of scuffles between demonstrators and police last week — with chants declaring the death of the territory’s freedoms.