Hong Kong braces for protests as China rules out full democracy

timesofindia. ^ | Aug 31, 2014, 07.21 PM IST

[BenLurkin]

Pro-democracy activists vowed on Sunday to bring Hong Kong's financial hub to a standstill after China's parliament rejected their demands for the right to freely choose the former British colony's next leader in 2017.

The standing committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) endorsed a framework to let only two or three candidates run in the 2017 leadership vote. All candidates must first obtain majority backing from a nominating committee likely to be stacked with Beijing loyalists.

The relatively tough decision by the NPC - China's final arbiter on the city's democratic affairs - makes it almost impossible for opposition democrats to get on the ballot.

"This is a legal, fair and reasonable decision. It is a dignified, prudent decision, and its legal effect is beyond doubt," Li Fei, deputy secretary general of the NPC standing committee, told reporters after the decision.

[BenLurkin]

Isn't there someone in the Democrat Party who said that the US should be more like Red China?

[dfwgator]

That’s why China has been transitioning a good part of Hong Kong’s financial centers to Shanghai.

They’re not stupid.

[ExSES]

The standing committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) endorsed a framework to let only two or three candidates run in the 2017 leadership vote. All candidates must first obtain majority backing from a nominating committee likely to be stacked with Beijing loyalists.

Today... Hong Kong..., tomorrow Taiwan???

[hosepipe]

Communism “IS” democracy..
Democracy is Mob Rule by mobsters..
Demagoguery by the majority -OR- the dictatorship of the proletariat..

China is communist AND democratic.. DUH!..

---

Democracy is the road to socialism. -Karl Marx

Democracy is indispensable to socialism.
The goal of socialism is communism. -V.I. Lenin

The meaning of peace is the absence of opposition to socialism .-Karl Marx

[NormsRevenge]

Great. We hit there Nov 1 for two days.

Cruising is a riot of late for us. A 2011 euro cruise included Greece and Rome protests.

[BenLurkin]

Hussein won’t lift a finger to help Free China.

[Gay State Conservative]

We were in Hong Kong earlier this year and came upon a huge political protest in the vicinity of where you catch the Victoria Peak Tram (Victoria Peak's a major tourist attraction).Lots and lots and lots of police there.No signs of violence that we saw but the police were *everywhere*.

[DTogo]

All candidates must first obtain majority backing from a nominating committee likely to be stacked with Beijing loyalists.

Sound like something the Beltway Democrats and Republicans would get behind...

[NormsRevenge]

The state police are used to protest.

and sadly, too, are us tourists.

fingers crossed.

maybe a day trip to macau is a better way to go. ;-}

[NormsRevenge]

When you look at how our system works here,, things aren’t done that much differently around the world these days.. just with more hoopla and sacrifice here than most elsewhere...

pretenses of fair and open gubamint abound.

their fruits speak elsewise

[Gay State Conservative]

maybe a day trip to macau is a better way to go. ;-}

Now I assume you're aware that all you'll see in Macau is signs in Portuguese and mega-casino after mega-casino.But the ferry ride from HK to Macau is pretty interesting...particularly on those rare days when the air pollution isn't thick enough to choke a horse.

[onedoug]

Nor lift a finger to stop it, I suspect.

[Thunder90]

China has been taking notes from Putin and Co in Russia on how to run a sham democracy.