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China should see Hong Kong as a test of democracy

By Stephanie Wong
AFP, HONG KONG
Friday, Jun 29, 2007, Page 9

China should view Hong Kong as a testing ground for democracy and stop slamming the brakes on reform, according to the city's former No. 2 who straddled the handover from British rule.

As Hong Kong looks to the 10th anniversary this weekend of the transfer of sovereignty to China, Anson Chan (陳方安生) said Beijing's increasing interventions had set back democratic reforms.

In an interview, the former head of the civil service in Hong Kong said that while people enjoyed a high degree of autonomy, a vibrant economy and an independent judiciary, it is political life that Beijing has restricted.

This prompted her to re-enter politics last year, forming a lobby group to press for constitutional reform and outline steps toward full democracy.

"The reason I'm involved is because I have already lamented the lack of progress in the 10 years since the handover," she said. "Of course, you would have expected there would be progress, but why isn't it there?"

Chan was the first woman and first Chinese to be chief secretary of Hong Kong, the second-highest official position, which made her deputy both to the city's last British governor Chris Patten and its first post-colonial leader Tung Chee-hwa (董建華).

"If I'm not optimistic, I wouldn't have come out and taken up the task of trying to do something on constitutional reform. So I believe something good will come out of it."

Anson Chan, former head of the civil service in Hong Kong

Now 67, she retired in 2001 only to return to the political scene in 2005, joining tens of thousands of people in protests demanding greater democracy, and her voice commands great respect.

The first major rally was in 2003 when more than half a million people marched against a proposed anti-subversion law which China wanted to impose. The bill was withdrawn, and Chan said the protest changed the political landscape for good.

"The sheer size of the demonstration really caught some local people and certainly Beijing by surprise. Beijing ever since then has taken a more direct interest in what happens in Hong Kong politically. We definitely have seen Beijing is getting more involved," she said.

Currently Hong Kong's political leaders are selected by a committee of 800 mainly Beijing loyalists, while only half of the 60 legislators are chosen by direct election.

Democratic reforms are enshrined in the Basic Law used to govern the city since the handover, but it does not clearly state how and when.

The text says that can be considered after this year, although the timing is not specified. Democracy advocates have pushed for reforms.

China is reluctant to allow change for fear it will destabilize the city and spread democratic pressure to the mainland.

In 2004, its top legislature interpreted the Basic Law and ruled out direct elections by this year. The result was another half a million people taking to the streets in protest.

Chan warned that such interference undermined confidence in the territory, both among its own people and internationally.

"You must not use power like this because every time you use it, there's a consequence," she said.

Chan said Hong Kong people were ready for full democracy and China should use the territory as a testing ground.

"If you look at our general education level, the behavior of the average man on the street and our economic development, I don't see any reason or why anybody can really say in their heart that Hong Kong people are not ready for universal suffrage," she said.

But Britain is not helping much either.

Chan criticized London for not speaking up.

"I think the British government should remember that unlike other countries, it has more of a constitutional responsibility," she said.

Still, Chan said she was hopeful about Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang's (曾蔭權) pledge to resolve the thorny democracy issue by the end of his new five-year term in 2012.

Tsang, who begins his second term on July 1, has vowed to release concrete proposals this summer which will go to public consultation before being given to China.

Meanwhile Chan hopes to stimulate more public discussion on the issue, and describe herself as "cautiously optimistic."

"If I'm not optimistic, I wouldn't have come out and taken up the task of trying to do something on constitutional reform. So I believe something good will come out of it," she said.

"But it cannot be just one person's effort, so it has to be very much the community's efforts. I hope more people should be willing to speak up about it," Chan said.
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