China's top legislative committee yesterday began a meeting hinting that it would reject growing calls in Hong Kong for more democracy, including direct elections for its next leader by 2007.
The five-day meeting of the National People's Congress' Standing Committee is believed to be an attempt to quell demands for democratic reform in the former British colony -- something Beijing fears will weaken its control.
The committee began deliberating draft interpretations on two clauses of Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, concerning how the territory's top leader and lawmakers are chosen, the Xinhua news agency said yesterday.
Hinting that China is not ready to allow direct elections, Xinhua quoted a committee official saying the Basic Law makes "clear that constitutional development must proceed step by step."
"These important principles are intended to safeguard Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability," Deputy Director Li Fei of the committee's commission of legislative affairs said.
He told committee members the draft interpretation was aimed at making the Basic Law "correctly understood and implemented" and were in line with Hong Kong's "real conditions," as well as beneficial to Hong Kong's economic development, Xinhua said.
Li, however, did not reveal details on what the draft says about elections.
A schedule has not been released, but the pro-Beijing Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao said yesterday the committee would decide whether to approve the draft interpretations next Tuesday.
Under the Basic Law, the NPC Standing Committee holds the power to interpret the Basic Law, but Hong Kong democracy proponents argue matters concerning elections should be decided by Hong Kong people, not Beijing.
Under the Law, approved by China and Britain prior to Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, Hong Kong is to adopt universal suffrage at an unspecified point beyond 2007.
Hong Kong's chief executive and most of its lawmakers are currently selected by a special committee and interest groups loyal to Beijing.
The territory's democrats say the Basic Law mandates universal suffrage in the election of the territory's leader by 2007 and the full legislature beyond that date, but Beijing has vehemently opposed this.
Hours before the 150 members of the committee met yesterday, police in Hong Kong scuffled with about 50 pro-democracy demonstrators camped outside government offices protesting against what they see as NPC moves to undermine Hong Kong's autonomy.
"Beijing is abusing its power, using the gray area in the Basic Law, and taking away Hong Kong people's rights of universal suffrage," political activist Leung Kwok-hung said.
The confrontation came after up to 3,000 people gathered at Hong Kong's legislative building Thursday night for a candlelight vigil.
After a six-hour standoff, some 100 police officers at dawn yesterday struggled to drag away those who got inside the office compound, as protestors resisted by linking hands, sitting on the ground and shouting anti-China slogans.
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