HONG KONG, 3 January 2003 — A large-scale New Year pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong reflects widespread unhappiness with the city’s China-backed government but will do nothing to speed up the pace of change, analysts said yesterday.
Around 100,000 people calling for full democracy by 2007 marched through the streets of the former British colony on Thursday, in the biggest protest since more than 500,000 rallied against the government last July. The size of the New Year protest took authorities by surprise, with organizers initially expecting only 20,000 people would take part in the march to government headquarters.
Last year’s July 1 protest ultimately forced Tung’s government to indefinitely shelve security legislation that critics said would curb rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, which enjoys a high level of autonomy from China.
But although Thursday’s demonstration would force Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to take note of the public, the government would continue a “policy of procrastination” over reforms, analysts said. “Although there is no SARS and the security bill has been withdrawn, key factors behind the July 1 rally, the public still turned out for the protest which shows they view democracy as crucial to maintaining their way of life,” said City University analyst, Joseph Cheng.
“This send out an important message to Tung and Beijing that even if the economy improves and without other problems, people still want full democracy,” he added.
However, Cheng said the protest would not “shake the government out of its policy of procrastination over political reform” with little change expected before key legislature elections in September. Pro-democracy groups in Hong Kong are demanding the government and Beijing commit to a firm timetable for implementing political reforms, including direct elections of Hong Kong’s next leader by 2007 and the legislature a year later. Tung has pledged to start discussions on constitutional change this year. Tung, who was hand-picked by an 800-member election committee loyal to Beijing, heads a legislature in which only 30 of the 60 seats are directly elected.
A government spokesman said in a statement the administration would “listen carefully” to the views and aspirations of the public and will begin collecting public views “as soon as possible”.
Richard Tsoi, a spokesman for rally organizers the Civil Human Rights Front, warned more protests will follow if the government failed to respond to public demands, starting with Tung’s Policy Address next Wednesday. Hong Kong University political commentator, Sonny Lo, also said that despite the unexpectedly large rally turnout it would do little to hasten reform.
“The rally won’t make any difference. The government will continue to delay initiating consultations on political reform as it has to wait for Beijing’s response,” said Lo.
Chinese president Hu Jintao stressed last month that political reforms in the city should be carried out gradually and in accordance with the Basic Law — the city’s miniconstitution.
