By Andrew L. Jaffee, August 1, 2003
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Don't Forget the Fight for Democracy in Hong Kong
By Andrew L. Jaffee, August 1, 2003 |
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At least 500,000 pro-democracy demonstrators filled the streets of Hong Kong on July 1. That day marked the 6th anniversary of transfer of control of the city-state from British to Chinese rule. Protestors were out to harangue their appointed leader (not elected) Tung Chee-hwa and his push for Hong Kong's "legislature" to pass an "anti-subversion bill." The bill basically allows the city-state's government to imprison a person for life for "acts of subversion." According to MSNBC:
Angry with a string of policy blunders and the government's plan to enact a contentious national security law, growing numbers of people in Hong Kong have been demanding Tung step down and they be given the right to elect their own leaders.
Demand they be given the right to elect their own leaders. I wonder if those who have grown up in Western democracies--knowing nothing else--really understand such a statement. Strange that the mass media largely ignored the events in Hong Kong in early July.
But democracy is still fresh in the minds of the people of Hong Kong. They enjoyed it while under British sovereignty. Imagine how they felt when they were handed over to communist China, one of the world's worst tyrrany's.
Hong Kong-ers are very brave to speak their minds so publicly, and their protests have had an effect on city policies. On July 16, Regina Ip, Hong Kong's chief of security resigned due to her (mis-)handling of the anti-subversion bill. Finance Secretary Antony Leung quit the government a few hours later. Incidentally, Leung was already in hot water for buying a new luxury car just before he raised a tax on new vehicles.
Hong Kong "leader" Tung has been forced to delay action on controversial bill. But he unwisely has brushed aside his peoples' call for democracy. Tung has been in constant consultations with his Beijing masters to discuss the political crisis. Of course, Beijing wants the anti-subversion bill enacted.
In the true spirit of ridiculous despotic logic:
Beijing's top representative to the territory, Gao Siren, said on Wednesday that continued opposition to the anti-subversion bill would harm the economy. "Hong Kong is a city of business, not of politics," he told the China Daily, a state-run Chinese newspaper.
He's got it backwards. Hong Kong has been an economic powerhouse because of its democratic tradition. If Beijing communists are smart, they'll leave Hong Kong alone. Otherwise they'll kill the economic gateway to their own mainland. The problem is, they're not smart. They probably fear Hong Kong's still-remaining freedoms more than they desire its economic prowess. We'll see. Beijing's track record is dismal.
Remember how the Beijing communists massacred hundreds of peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square? Remember their recent suppression of religious freedoms in China (see Falun Gong article). Don't forget their vicious occupation of Tibet.
It pleases me to no end that Beijing has to deal two Chinese bastions of economic and democratic freedom right near home: Taiwan and Hong Kong. As my partner here at netWMD so eloquently pointed out, economic freedoms may lead the way to democratic ones on the mainland. Whatever the case, it is up to us in the free world to support Taiwan, Hong Kong, and freedom-loving Chinese on the mainland. If you are interested in supporting democracy within the Chinese sphere, please click on the links shown below: