Pro-democracy lawmakers in Hong Kong urged Beijing yesterday to open talks on democratic reforms, saying peace overtures from China were not enough to heal political tensions in the city.
Beijing angered many Hong Kong people recently when it spurned calls for more democracy, ruling out universal suffrage any time soon. But fearing a backlash against pro-China candidates in legislative elections in September, it has since tried to mend fences and take a more conciliatory stance.
It invited democracy legislators to an unprecedented armed forces parade in the city on Sunday, complete with tanks and helicopters, but a handful of lawmakers refused to attend.
"I'm in favor of a dialogue with the Chinese authorities, but this is not a dialogue and I don't think they had a chance to talk to anyone," said lawmaker Emily Lau (劉慧卿), who did not show up.
"If there's an invitation for a dialogue, I will be happy to attend," she said.
Leung Yiu-chung (
"If we're talking about communication, it has nothing to do with such ceremonies [as the military parade]," said Leung, a trades unionist and a very popular figure with the grassroots. "We must talk, be ready to understand and make compromises."
Beijing has said it would consider face-to-face talks with the democrats, but that would mean officially recognizing pro-democracy parties as a political force within China, a huge step for the Communist Party.
Even if direct talks occur, political analysts said neither side was likely to change its basic position.
Although China has said it will not allow full direct elections in Hong Kong in 2007, democracy forces here have not given up that demand in their election platforms.
"We want political reforms and it won't be acceptable if Beijing continues to ignore that. On the other hand, we must also address Beijing's worries, both sides must give way," Leung said.
"Beijing can't give us nothing, give us zero."
Beijing fears that the city's calls for democracy will spread to China, or even escalate into a movement for independence.
It tried stifling these aspirations by verbally attacking key democracy figures earlier this year, but that alienated more people and the popularity ratings of Chinese leaders and their supporters in Hong Kong soon plummeted.
For the first time, democracy candidates have a chance at winning majority control of the 60-member legislature in September -- something Beijing will not want to see.
Analysts say Sunday's display of military might was aimed at bolstering a sense of Chinese patriotism and helping pro-China candidates in the elections.
Although Beijing appears less hostile, its relationship with democracy lawmakers has not improved, Leung said.
"We have to see how we communicate in future and if we can cooperate," Leung said.
Lau said the political mood in Hong Kong can hardly be described as good. She received a phone call two weeks ago from an unidentified man threatening to chop off her head and hang it outside the council building.
LANDMARK CASE: ‘Every night we were dragged to US soldiers and sexually abused. Every week we were forced to undergo venereal disease tests,’ a victim said More than 100 South Korean women who were forced to work as prostitutes for US soldiers stationed in the country have filed a landmark lawsuit accusing Washington of abuse, their lawyers said yesterday. Historians and activists say tens of thousands of South Korean women worked for state-sanctioned brothels from the 1950s to 1980s, serving US troops stationed in country to protect the South from North Korea. In 2022, South Korea’s top court ruled that the government had illegally “established, managed and operated” such brothels for the US military, ordering it to pay about 120 plaintiffs compensation. Last week, 117 victims
China on Monday announced its first ever sanctions against an individual Japanese lawmaker, targeting China-born Hei Seki for “spreading fallacies” on issues such as Taiwan, Hong Kong and disputed islands, prompting a protest from Tokyo. Beijing has an ongoing spat with Tokyo over islands in the East China Sea claimed by both countries, and considers foreign criticism on sensitive political topics to be acts of interference. Seki, a naturalised Japanese citizen, “spread false information, colluded with Japanese anti-China forces, and wantonly attacked and smeared China”, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters on Monday. “For his own selfish interests, (Seki)
Argentine President Javier Milei on Sunday vowed to “accelerate” his libertarian reforms after a crushing defeat in Buenos Aires provincial elections. The 54-year-old economist has slashed public spending, dismissed tens of thousands of public employees and led a major deregulation drive since taking office in December 2023. He acknowledged his party’s “clear defeat” by the center-left Peronist movement in the elections to the legislature of Buenos Aires province, the country’s economic powerhouse. A deflated-sounding Milei admitted to unspecified “mistakes” which he vowed to “correct,” but said he would not be swayed “one millimeter” from his reform agenda. “We will deepen and accelerate it,” he
Japan yesterday heralded the coming-of-age of Japanese Prince Hisahito with an elaborate ceremony at the Imperial Palace, where a succession crisis is brewing. The nephew of Japanese Emperor Naruhito, Hisahito received a black silk-and-lacquer crown at the ceremony, which marks the beginning of his royal adult life. “Thank you very much for bestowing the crown today at the coming-of-age ceremony,” Hisahito said. “I will fulfill my duties, being aware of my responsibilities as an adult member of the imperial family.” Although the emperor has a daughter — Princess Aiko — the 23-year-old has been sidelined by the royal family’s male-only
RSS