HK activists tell China to back off

Pro-democracy figures yesterday charged that China had violated constitutional law by asserting control over Hong Kong's political reforms, and some predicted the move could stir unrest in the territory.

China issued a ruling on Tuesday that Hong Kong must get Beijing's blessing before trying to change the way it selects its leader and lawmakers -- giving the central government more control over such matters than is spelled out in the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini-constitution.

The Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress put forth the ruling in an interpretation of the territory's constitution -- a move many here viewed as an attempt to quash growing calls for full democracy.

"It has been calculated to add new obstacles to Hong Kong's already bumpy road to full democracy," said Law Yuk-kai, director of the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor.

The Basic Law holds out democracy as a goal for Hong Kong but sets no timetable, and Beijing insists it's only explaining the way forward.

The deputy secretary-general of the Standing Committee, Qiao Xiaoyang (喬曉陽), flew to Hong Kong on Wednesday to explain the ruling to academics, lawmakers and others. Qiao told reporters he would listen to a cross-section of the community to seek "honest exchange and common ground," but he didn't elaborate.

Law said China's top legislative committee had changed the constitution with "no due process" but rather through "a political body operating in a black box without any fair hearing."

The Hong Kong Bar Association agreed, saying Beijing was making law, not interpreting it.

"This is adding to the law," bar chairman Edward Chan told reporters Tuesday night. "Hong Kong cannot accept this."

Meanwhile, the US reiterated its support for democracy in Hong Kong -- a stance Beijing has condemned previously as improper meddling in Chinese affairs.

US Consulate General spokeswoman Susan Stevenson said yesterday that Washington is urging Hong Kong "to do everything possible to respond to the expressed aspirations of the Hong Kong people for electoral reform and universal suffrage."

Activists said they planned to march in protest Sunday to China's representative office in Hong Kong.

China guaranteed Hong Kong civil liberties and a great deal of autonomy -- unheard of in the mainland -- when the former British colony returned to its rule in 1997. But The Standard newspaper likened Beijing's latest action to "infecting the territory with a deadly plague."

"It is bad for Hong Kong, but it is bad for China, too, because it will not allow Beijing to benefit from the lessons of a smooth transition to democracy," The Standard wrote in an editorial.

Others, however, were more optimistic, noting that Beijing has not ruled out political reforms and that it has even left open the possibility for changes in the way Hong Kong's next leader is chosen when Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa's (董建華) second and final term ends in 2007.

Tung was chosen by an 800-member committee loyal to Beijing and has been enormously unpopular with locals who see him as the mainland's puppet who looks out for tycoons but not ordinary Hong Kong citizens.

Many people in Hong Kong want direct elections of their next leader as well as all lawmakers in 2008.