China warns again against Hong Kong democracy push

[Harvey Specter]

Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) personnel parade during the open day of Stonecutter Island Navy Base in Hong Kong Saturday, March 6, 2010. China said Friday it will boost its defense budget by 7.5 percent this year, the first time in more than 15 years it has announced less than a double-digit percentage increase.
(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

By MIN LEE, Associated Press Writer Min Lee, Associated Press Writer – Sun Mar 7, 3:24 am ET
HONG KONG – China has warned that a plan by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong to use a special election as a de facto referendum on democratic reform is a threat to stability in the former British colony.

While Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997, it maintains a separate political system and enjoys Western-style civil liberties typically denied on the mainland. But Beijing has continued to deny full democracy. Hong Kong's leader is chosen by an 800-member committee stacked with pro-China figures and its legislature is half elected, half picked by special interest groups.

Pro-democracy activists have argued for years that the wealthy financial hub of 7 million people is mature enough to choose its own leaders. In their latest campaign, five opposition legislators — one from each of Hong Kong's five major electoral districts — resigned in January, triggering a special election. Opposition parties plan to field candidates in the by-election, hoping to turn the territory-wide contests into a de facto referendum on democratic reform.

"There are political groups that have launched the so-called 'five district referendum campaign,' even proposing sensational and extreme slogans like 'civic uprising' and 'liberating Hong Kong,'" Peng Qinghua, the head of China's liaison office in Hong Kong, said when he met with Hong Kong delegates on the sidelines of the annual meeting of China's parliament in Beijing on Saturday.

"This is a total violation of mainstream public opinion that wants stability, harmony and development," Peng said. His comments were broadcast on Hong Kong television.

China first lashed out at the move in a statement in January, calling the planned referendum campaign a challenge to its authority. Hong Kong's pro-Beijing parties have said they will boycott the May 16 elections.

Former Hong Kong legislator Rita Fan, now a member of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, told reporters Saturday that the campaign was a "farce" and a waste of taxpayer dollars. The Hong Kong government estimates the election will cost 159 million Hong Kong dollars ($20.5 million).

The main spokeswoman for the referendum campaign said democratic reform isn't a radical idea.

"This moderate issue is the desire of most Hong Kongers. If the central government is sincere about implementing genuine universal suffrage in Hong Kong, what does it have to fear in public opinion?" pro-democracy legislator Audrey Eu said in a statement.

[SkinnyPupp]

This is just going to make them push back harder

[RFlush]

Christina Chan vs CCP

[asian_XL]

imagine a communist leader is watching this on TV...



I'd be pissed too.

[Benz_05TSX]

^ Damn protest bitches are HOT!!! I wanna be a popo, grab some titties!!

[twitchyzero]

can someone explain how hong kong's political system work?
800 member legislature, 400 is elected and 400 appointed to by the PRC? Does that leigislature also govern Macau?
How much has it changed since 1997?

What are some example of liberties and rights denied in HK?

[hk20000]

nothing has really changed since 1997

before 1997 of course UK appointed a governor for HK, HK people has no say in it. But HK always enjoyed voting of the parliament members, separated by different districts (much like the Canada system)

after 1997 HK was hoping to get a fully democratic voting system in place much like other Western countries because China promised UK and HK that the system shall not change for 50 years.
So since UK has no say in who leads HK now China says how about we get 800 people in our favor to vote for a handful of people who wished to lead.

which means that the democratic atmosphere in HK hasn't changed much from before except the whole system is now lead by some Chinese guy/gal and so people are more easily pissed off at what he/she does. Because somehow Chinese thinks that a Chinese leader should make all decisions benefiting those that are weak and minority (i.e. those who have no cash). Hence you see all the people rallying in these protests are like poor bums who can't be bothered to do something more productive.

Fast forward to 2010 and HK wants to opt for a full 7mil voting system for their leader but China says no, coz then that's making the system even more democratic than before 1997... But because china had always been rather chill and let HK do its own thing the people thought if they go out and do more rallying their wish will come true....But this is probably not going to happen.

Macau is basically the same as HK but they have their own government system that's independent from the HK one. Macau has a much smaller population and frankly they can care less as long as people come and gamble their money away, they tend to not stand out as much in this whole democracy debacle. Another reason Macau doesn't get pissed off so easily is that they get sweet sweet deals when the economy went sour....Everyone who had a Macau ID card got a few grand stuffed into their bank account in 2009, making HK people very jealous LOL. I believe in 2010 they have decided they'd follow suit in HK too and everyone got some money dumped into their RRSP funds.

That's kind of how it is.

[classified]

not going to lie i go aroused from those pics

[threezero]

Originally Posted by asian_XL

imagine a communist leader is watching this on TV...



I'd be pissed too.

this women is a professional protester, she is at EVERY protest in hk. I read an interview of her in a magazine once and she doesn't know anything she is protesting for, she enjoys being manhandle by police and being photograph by the press, that is her high and guess wat she gets pay for it.

80% of the protester in hk don't know wtf they are protesting for they are either there for fun, to see what the big deal is or they get pay. There is only a very very small group of ppl that are genuinely for this "free hk" cause, majority of other hk ppl thinks this is childish or have no idea why they are doing this.

honestly if hk frees itself from china, it will self destruct itself within a decade.

[BaoXu]

Originally Posted by threezero

honestly if hk frees itself from china, it will self destruct itself within a decade.

and why is this?

[asian_XL]

for those who haven't read the basic law, then I suggest you read first few pages of it.
High degree of autonomy and One country, Two systems have been mentioned many
many times, you can see the effort the communist wants to please the fucking hongers
and foreigners. It's a picture of beautiful land with a doorgate to the open world.

one reason Macau is a success is because people there have learned when to STFU and
enjoy democracy. Does anybody see people protest against Article 23 in Macau? Fuck
no. Just don't piss off Russel Peter's dad, then you won't get beaten up. Very simple.

the LegCo right now is a fucking joke. Long hair, Wong Yuk Man, and other clowns
should get booted permanently.

[asian_XL]

Originally Posted by BaoXu

and why is this?

just look at how many mainlanders go shopping in Hong Kong and how many rich mainlanders bought hundred million dollars apartments.

[BaoXu]

Originally Posted by asian_XL

just look at how many mainlanders go shopping in Hong Kong and how many rich mainlanders bought hundred million dollars apartments.

That has nothing to do with freeing itself from China.

Mainlanders can do business and even own land on HK even if hypothetically HK breaks away from China.

[SlySi]

Originally Posted by asian_XL

for those who haven't read the basic law, then I suggest you read first few pages of it.
High degree of autonomy and One country, Two systems have been mentioned many
many times, you can see the effort the communist wants to please the fucking hongers
and foreigners. It's a picture of beautiful land with a doorgate to the open world.

one reason Macau is a success is because people there have learned when to STFU and
enjoy democracy. Does anybody see people protest against Article 23 in Macau? Fuck
no. Just don't piss off Russel Peter's dad, then you won't get beaten up. Very simple.

the LegCo right now is a fucking joke. Long hair, Wong Yuk Man, and other clowns
should get booted permanently.

Well part of the reason Macau STFU is because of prositution.
Macau is a shithole... and without gambling in Casino's and prositution in every single sauna... well lets say... whatever is worse than a shithole.. thats what Macau would be.
The amount of money funnelling through to the goverment is beyond anyones comprehension. Macau cant say shit.

[fetched]

Originally Posted by SlySi

Well part of the reason Macau STFU is because of prositution.
Macau is a shithole... and without gambling in Casino's and prositution in every single sauna... well lets say... whatever is worse than a shithole.. thats what Macau would be.
The amount of money funnelling through to the goverment is beyond anyones comprehension. Macau cant say shit.

Just like Las Vegas.