Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa (董建華) was sworn in for a second term yesterday as protesters marked the fifth anniversary of the city's return to Chinese rule by blasting his government over the ailing economy and human rights.
As storm clouds gathered outside, Tung and the 14 ministers he handpicked to run the government took their oaths in Hong Kong's futuristic convention center before Chinese President Jiang Zemin (江澤民), who flew in for the ceremony.
Tung said in a somber speech after his swearing-in that solving the city's economic problems will be "long and arduous."
"Worries are weighing on the hearts of Hong Kong people ... the biggest challenge facing the second-term government is to lead Hong Kong out of the economic downturn and to restore the confidence of Hong Kong people," he said.
Deeply unpopular with Hong Kong residents, the Beijing-backed leader pledged to do everything necessary to create jobs but gave few concrete details.
While most of the territory's people have been preoccupied with money problems, rights activists say civil liberties have been subtly rolled back and that leaders are increasingly intolerant of any criticism.
Scuffles broke out shortly after dawn when police blocked a group of protesters carrying a mock coffin to the convention center where Tung and some 800 dignitaries were attending a flag-raising ceremony.
About 400 people marched to government headquarters. "We want work," they chanted. "Give us back our ricebowls."
Jiang urged Hong Kong residents yesterday to give more support to Tung's government, but also said he would like to see the administration work even harder.
"I hope the executive, legislative and judicial bodies of Hong Kong will constantly improve their job performance to provide better services to the public and society," he said.
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