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China attacks HK's democrats

China has accused democrats in Hong Kong of trying to overthrow the central government and colluding with pro-independence forces in Taiwan and foreign powers.

"Some people continue to participate in or even lead political organizations aiming at opposing the leadership of the Communist Party and subverting the central government, using democracy as a shield," wrote Tang Hua, deputy chief editor of the official Xinhua news agency's Outlook magazine.

The commentary was carried in full by Xinhua on Tuesday and was widely reported in Hong Kong newspapers yesterday.

The article did not name names, but it was clear that it was referring to Hong Kong's pro-democracy politicians and activists.

One of Hong Kong's main pro-Beijing newspapers, Wen Wei Po, said the commentary referred to prominent pro-democracy lawmakers such as Martin Lee (李柱銘) and Emily Lau (劉慧卿).

China said there was no way they would be allowed to usurp power in the territory, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

"Among those who are trying to join the ranks of rulers in Hong Kong there is also a minority whose deeds and words are obviously against the requirement of loving the country [China] and loving Hong Kong," it said.

It said some people had continued to join or lead an organization that aimed to overthrow the central government, deny constitutional law and oppose the Communist Party.

It also said some people had endangered China's state security by opposing a controversial anti-subversion law planned by Hong Kong's China-backed leaders.

Half a million people took to the streets of Hong Kong last July to protest against the planned security legislation, which critics said would threaten basic rights and freedoms. The bill was later shelved.

It also attacked those who "openly express support for independence in Taiwan."

"We have to clearly identify their vicious intentions and we can never allow them to usurp the ruling power in Hong Kong", the commentary charged.

China is deeply concerned about growing calls for more democracy in Hong Kong, fearing it could spread to the mainland. It also worries that such demands could eventually lead Hong Kong to demand independence, even though most people in the territory have accepted Chinese rule.

When it took back control of Hong Kong it was seen as a major step in reunifying the country.

The Xinhua commentary comes as Beijing is trying to dampen calls for more democracy in this former British colony.

In recent weeks, China's official media and experts and officials in Beijing have issued a steady stream of thinly veiled warnings that the Communist Party will not tolerate calls for full voting rights anytime soon.

They have invoked the words of China's late revered leader Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平), saying only patriots should run the city.

Beijing, and not Hong Kong people, selects the city's leader and most of its legislators. But after years of policy blunders and mismanagement, many residents are agitating to directly elect their leader and all lawmakers as soon as 2007.
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