China issues warning over Hong Kong 'illegal' protests
TO SEE VIDEOS:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-29453490
Gracie: Protesters light up the streets in the main financial district
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi has issued a stern warning against any "illegal" protests in Hong Kong.
Visiting Washington, Mr Wang also warned that the matter was an "internal affair" for China.His US counterpart, John Kerry, urged Hong Kong to exercise restraint in dealing with the protests.
Earlier, student demonstrators angry at China's vetting of candidates for 2017 elections vowed to step up protests if Chief Executive CY Leung did not quit.
They said that protesters would start occupying government buildings if Mr Leung did not resign by Thursday.
Overnight, protesters massed outside Mr Leung's office in a stand-off with some 200 police.
The US and China expressed different views about events in Hong Kong
Protesters shield police from the rain in Hong Kong's so-called "umbrella revolution"
Protesters are waiting outside Mr Leung's office for him to come to work on Friday
Mr Kerry said the US supported universal suffrage in Hong Kong, adding: "We have high hopes that the Hong Kong authorities will exercise restraint and respect for the protesters' right to express their views peacefully."
In China, an editorial in People's Daily warned of "unimaginable consequences" if the protests continued, while state TV said Hong Kong's police should be supported in their attempts to "restore the social order as soon as possible".
This crisis is about the most fundamental promise of democracy: who should choose the man or woman who governs Hong Kong?
The nub of the argument is with Article 45 of the Basic Law - the agreement that underpinned Hong Kong's transition from British to Chinese rule.
It says the "ultimate aim" should be to elect the chief executive by universal suffrage. To that end, the law stipulated that a "broadly representative" nominating committee should select candidates for election.
But in August, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's rubber stamp parliament, ruled that candidates needed to get more than half the votes of that committee. Pro-democracy activists sensed a stitch-up: they believe the committee will be loaded with Beijing's supporters and will ensure China controls nominations.
This is not a campaign to change China or overthrow the Communist Party, but a passionately local campaign for a big principle.
Earlier, Lester Shum, the vice-secretary of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, said: "We hope that by today or tomorrow [Thursday], Leung Chun-ying will... resign.
"Otherwise, we will announce an escalation of our movement, including occupying or surrounding different government buildings."
Protesters have refused calls to go home
Pro-democracy supporters write messages of support
But he also called on Mr Leung to quit, saying: "We can talk to anyone in the government except him... resign for the sake of Hong Kong."
Thousands of demonstrators remain camped out at the main protest sites in the Central business district, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok, while a fourth site opened on Wednesday on Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, a major shopping district several roads south of Mong Kok.
'A week or a month' The Wall St Journal quoted a Hong Kong source as saying that Mr Leung was planning to ride out the protests and had been ordered by Beijing not to use violence.
Celia Hatton: The protests are not really making waves in mainland China
Speaking to the BBC, former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten said he did not think China would authorise the use of force.
He said: "I cannot believe it would be so stupid as to do anything like sending in the army."
The protesters' numbers rose after police fired tear gas and pepper spray at the crowds on Sunday.
Hong Kong is governed under "one country, two systems", which gives it some autonomy and freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland. The key to the protests is the interpretation of Hong Kong's goal of "universal suffrage" for the 2017 leadership election.
Beijing ruled last month that although it would allow Hong Kong people to elect their next leader, the choice of candidates would be restricted to those approved by a pro-Beijing committee.
- 1997: Hong Kong, a former British colony, is handed back to China under an 1984 agreement giving it "a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs" for 50 years
- 2004: China rules that its approval must be sought for changes to Hong Kong's election laws
- June-July 2014: Pro-democracy activists hold an unofficial referendum on political reform and a large rally, which is followed by protests by pro-Beijing activists
- 31 August 2014: China says it will allow direct elections in 2017, but voters will only be able to choose from a list of pre-approved candidates; activists stage protests
- 22 September 2014: Student groups launch a week-long boycott of classes in protest
- 2017: Direct elections for chief executive due to take place
- 2047: Expiry of current agreements
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment-- or suggestions, particularly of topics and places you'd like to see covered