Free Republic

Are Hong Kong's liberties gradually being taken away? THROW a frog into boiling water and it jumps out; gently bring it to the boil, and the frog, never noticing the incremental increases in heat, allows itself to be cooked. Is Hong Kong a frog in a pot in Beijing's kitchen? If so, then on September 24th the temperature rose another notch. On that day, Hong Kong's government formally began—by circulating a consultation paper—the process of enacting a controversial set of laws against subversion, sedition, treason and other ills, as required by Article 23 of the Basic Law, the territory's constitution....

First and last, the July 1 protest march, in which half a million Hong Kongers marched three miles in orderly nonviolent protest, despite hours of waiting in the torrid heat and the densely packed streets and park, brought Hong Kong's wheel of fate full circle. The last time there was such a huge, disciplined display of People Power on Hong Kong island was when a million or so Hong Kongers took to the streets after June 4, 1989. They were protesting the Beijing Massacre, thereby destroying forever the myth that Hong Kong was inhabited by a politically apathetic citizenry. That...

China’s new administration under President Hu JinTao and Premier Wen JiaBao is still doing some serious house cleaning to clear the bureaucrat of Jiang Zemin’s cronies. Since Hu and Wen are still in the process of strengthening their own power base, they are trying their best to avoid a direct clash with their rival faction -- Jiang, representing China’s conservative hardliners. The July 1 half-million march had brought immense pressure on legislators to stand on the people’s side or face an end to their political lifes. James Tian, an important figure in Tung’s cabinet with decisive votes in the Legco...

July 1 will be the seventh anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to Chinese rule. Hong Kong has been going downhill since the handover. The economic slump has recently been compounded by the SARS epidemic imported from Guangdong Province. What's more, the territory's freedoms and the rule of law are in danger. The recent dispute over anti-subversion legislation has prompted protests from Hong Kong democrats and caused anxiety among Chinese democracy advocates. Even the US has openly expressed concern over the matter. Article 23 of Hong Kong's Basic Law stipulates: "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall enact laws on its...

Massive protest grips Hong KongFREEDOMS: In the largest demonstration since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, hundreds of thousands gathered to protest against planned anti-subversion laws REUTERS Wednesday, Jul 02, 2003,Page 1   Hundreds of thousands of people pack Hong Kong's Victoria Park before marching to Hong Kong government headquarters yesterday to protest against plans to enact an anti-subversion bill that critics fear will curtail civil liberties.PHOTO: AP Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to Hong Kong's streets yesterday to denounce the government's planned anti-subversion law, in the city's biggest street demonstration since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. "Return rule to...

Thousands of protesters jam the roads as they march through Causeway Bay shopping district to demonstrate against a tough anti-subversion law in Hong Kong, July 1, 2003, the day marking the sixth anniversary of the territory's handover to Chinese rule. Brandishing banners, umbrellas and fans, tens of thousands of demonstrators on Tuesday denounced the Hong Kong government's planned anti-subversion law and demanded the right to elect their own leaders. REUTERS/Kin Cheung Reuter's Article: Hong Kong Gripped by Massive Anti-Govt. Street Protest Tue July 1, 2003 11:01 AM ET By Carrie Lee and Rico Ngai HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hundreds of...

<p>A huge poster adourns the Lan Kwai Fong nightclub district on Monday night.</p> <p>The proposed law, known as Article 23, has sparked concern in Hong Kong.</p> <p>Under the proposed legislation, anyone found guilty of acts of treason, sedition, secession or subversion against mainland China could be jailed for life. Treason: instigation of foreign invasion, assisting a public enemy at war with the People's Republic of China (PRC), or joining foreign armed forces at war with the PRC.</p>

Never before has Hong Kong’s basic human freedom been so endangered. The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration explicitly guarantees that all of Hong Kong's freedoms, including press freedom, religious freedom, and freedom of association, will continue for at least 50 years. On Tuesday, July 1, 2003, when Hong Kong celebrates her 6th anniversary of returning under China’s rule, Hong Kong’s citizen have to stage the territory’s largest protest to protect their basic human freedom. (See also House of Representatives’ Resolution warns that Hong Kong’s Basic Freedoms are in danger. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/936868/posts) The pro-democracy legislators, lawyers, journalists and clergymen have all exhausted their...