One of the foremost leaders of the 1989 pro-democracy movement in Beijing, Wu'er Kaixi (
Wu'er, now 35, fled China after the army crushed the movement centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square on the night of June 3-June 4, 1989.
Born in Beijing of ethnic Uighurs from the mainly Muslim Xinjiang region in northwest China, Wu'er first fled to Hong Kong and then to France and the US before settling in Taiwan, where he has lived for the past six years.
He is reported to be in Hong Kong to attend the funeral of Canto-pop diva Anita Mui, who died late last month of cervical cancer.
Mui had been prominent in collecting funds for the student-led democracy movement in China in 1989.
Wu'er said on arrival in Hong Kong last night that he hoped "this is the first step in the long journey home for Tiananmen dissidents," the South China Morning Post reported.
"I say to Beijing, I say to (Chinese President) Hu Jintao (
The South China Morning Post in an editorial yesterday welcomed Wu'er's visit, noting that Hong Kong authorities have previously refused entry to members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement.
"Such incidents have led to allegations that the government has a blacklist of people who are not to be allowed in," the paper said.
It went on to say: "What is clear is that Hong Kong needs to take particular care before deciding whether there are reasons for barring a visitor from entry."
The paper concluded that "permitting the dissident to enter last night suggests a wiser approach has been adopted this time."
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