Muted protest as Hong Kong marks China handover

By Tan Ee Lyn  |  July 1, 2005

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of people on Friday marked
the anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China by marching to demand
full voting rights, but the crowds were far smaller than in the last
two years.

Holding banners and placards which read "Return power to the
people," the protesters also called for an end to what they said were
cozy government relations with big business.

"We want universal suffrage," "Against collusion between the
government and big business," they shouted at the annual protest, which
coincides with the anniversary of the return of the former British
colony to Chinese rule in 1997.

The protest organizer, Civil Human Rights Front, estimated the crowd
at 45,000, a mere fraction of the demonstrations in 2003 and 2004 which
drew turnouts of 500,000. Local authorities gave no crowd estimate.

With the economy recovering strongly, resignation of unpopular
former leader Tung Chee-hwa in March and his replacement by his popular
deputy Donald Tsang, the rally this year appears to have lost
considerable appeal.

"People are just happy that Tung is gone and they want to give
Donald Tsang some time to see how he handles Hong Kong," said political
commentator Andy Ho.

Taxi driver Lee Ming-tat agreed: "The mood in society is a lot better, more people now have jobs."

Though Beijing has ruled out universal suffrage for Hong Kong for
several more years, the protesters are still insisting on full voting
rights as soon as possible.

"So what if we now have a different leader? The system is still not
changed. We want the right to choose our own leader," said Peter
Cheung, a sales executive.

Like Tung, Tsang was not popularly elected but selected by a Beijing-sanctioned electoral college of 800 people.

The march, which began in Victoria Park, ended peacefully in the
early evening outside government headquarters in the Central business
district.

ECONOMY TOPS GOVERNMENT AGENDA

The march began hours after Tsang, senior officials and other
dignitaries attended a flag-raising ceremony at the promenade in
Wanchai district to mark the handover eight years ago.

Tsang, appointed Hong Kong’s leader late last month, urged the
city’s 7 million residents on Monday to channel their energies toward
the economy and livelihood matters. He also said these issues would be
at the top of his agenda during his two-year tenure.

Citing a government survey, he said people ranked politics far below
economic and livelihood concerns. Even pollution and the size of
primary school classes took precedence over politics in the poll, he
added.

At a reception shortly after the flag-raising ceremony, Tsang promised a "people-oriented" governance.

"I guarantee to all citizens that policy decisions will be clear and
fast, decisions will be based on citizens’ interests and enforcement of
these decisions will be efficient," he said.

Although Tsang has pledged to be more open and responsive to the
people, his critics are skeptical as to how much he will do to preserve
its freedoms and fight for universal suffrage.

They also say the veteran civil servant will need to please his communist masters in Beijing, to whom he owes his job.

To counter the pro-democracy protest, some 28,000 people joined a
celebration parade organized by some 800 pro-Beijing groups just hours
before the protest march.

After a separate flag-raising ceremony at the Hong Kong Stadium,
they marched through Wanchai, accompanied by a noisy string of
performing troupes and lion and dragon dancers.