China sends rescue mission to Hong Kong

The Australian ^ | July 11 2003 | Glenda Korporaal

[knighthawk]

CHINA has sent a squad of bureaucrats to Hong Kong to investigate the crumbling administration of Tung Chee-hwa.

Dozens of middle-ranking officials from mainland government agencies including China's Hong Kong and Macau office and its ministries of foreign affairs, state security and intelligence are understood to be in Hong Kong, which has been rocked by two big demonstrations in the past 10 days.

Hong Kong media reported yesterday that the officials were seeking views from a wide range of people in the Special Administrative Region on what should be done to handle the growing level of public dissatisfaction with Mr Tung's Government.

Beijing-backed media outlets continue to support Mr Tung and blame the Democrat party for stirring up trouble.

But with 50,000 demonstrators taking to the streets on Wednesday night at a candle-lit vigil calling for Mr Tung's resignation and for democracy in Hong Kong, after a 500,000-strong demonstration on July 1, China is clearly worried about continued unrest.

More demonstrations calling for an elected chief executive for the former colony, are planned for Sunday.

Liberal Party leader James Tien has confirmed that China was furious at his decision to defer the passage of the controversial Article 23 legislation this week by withdrawing his party's support for the vote, which had been planned for Wednesday.

China had accepted Mr Tung's initial assurances that he could get the security legislation through parliament this week.

Mr Tien, who sits on the Legislative Council as a representative of the business community, said he had made his stand after receiving many calls from Hong Kong businesspeople concerned about the massive July 1 demonstration.

He said he was concerned about what could happen in Hong Kong if the legislation was rushed through and the officials from China are believed to be trying to ascertain how widely held this view is.

China is keen for Mr Tung's Government to pass the security legislation, which its critics see as a potential threat to civil liberties and press freedoms.

Hong Kong media reported yesterday that several delegates to the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Conference had told mainland officials Mr Tung should step down.

Mr Tung, who has promised to listen more carefully to the views of the Hong Kong people and "win back the support and the trust of the people", rushed yesterday to the scene of a highway bus accident in which 22 people were killed.

The accident gave him the chance to be seen in the community, instead of at controlled media events which he has limited himself to since the July 1 demonstration.

[knighthawk]

Ping

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[Quix]

Lord God, please, may these wisps of hope be fanned into a raging flame of solid support for democratic structures and principles of freedom.

PLEASE Protect the people who demonstrate courage for freedom.

PLEASE Cause wimpy people to have backbones and masses of people to express themselves overtly, vigorously and persistently in behalf of freedom, in Jesus' Name.

PLEASE Cause Mainland people to have uncommon compassion and wisdom in handling all this complex situation.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Is this a true protest for democracy or a trumped up reason for China to assume complete control of HK while avoiding international condemnation?

[George Smiley]

Is this a true protest for democracy or a trumped up reason for China to assume complete control of HK while avoiding international condemnation?

I hate to burst your bubble, but China took complete control of HK in 1997.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Thanks for being compassionate about bursting my bubble but even with my failing memory I remember when Britain originally agreed to the deal and all the pomp and circumstance 20 years later when control was actually turned over to China. However, even if it were only a fig leaf, part of the deal was that HK would remain independent and continue to have its own form of government. Since then China has slowly been subverting that and lately there has been some hue and cry about it. My question was: Is this part of the hue and cry or simply more subversion by the Chinese? If you can offer some insight to that I would be pleased to hear it. Otherwise, FO.

[George Smiley]

It's still a Special Administrative Region, and yes, although the glove is velvet the fist underneath is iron.

I had a wonderful time there this Lunar New Year's.

BTW, a good org chart of the government is located here.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Thanks for the info, George. I have also enjoyed Hong Kong but that was about 20 years ago.

At the time of Britains agreement to "free" HK the left was growing even stronger in Britain and putting a big guilt trip on them to "free" their colonies around the world. They claimed not only was it wrong to rule others but they needed the money for social programs at home. This worked well for the left as they immediately moved into all those areas and changed them for the worse. Ruliong others no longer seemed to be such a burning issue. Hong Kong was the longest holdout and now it may be subdued as well.

[George Smiley]

It also had to do with the fact that HK was "leased" for 100 years and that particular treaty expired at that time.