Jan 1 2014: Hong Kong Rises - Thousands march against Chinese government.

[Mech]

(Reuters) - Thousands protested in Hong Kong on Wednesday pressing China to allow full democracy in the city as a battle intensifies over Beijing's attempts to control the outcome of a planned direct election for the city's leader in 2017.

Beijing had promised direct elections in the former British colony as the goal for 2017, but the devil is in the details of the rules governing who can run.

Pressure has been building between democratic forces in the financial hub, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, and China's stability-obsessed Communist Party leaders who fear a rival democrat being voted into office.

Protesters at the annual New Year's Day democracy rally shouted slogans demanding full democracy in 2017, with a key condition being the open nominations of candidates so that anyone, including China critics, can run for office.

But Chinese officials and leftist newspapers have rejected that, citing the city's mini-constitution that states all nominees must be endorsed by a 1,200-strong election committee, which is stacked with Beijing loyalists.

"There's more and more interference (from Beijing)," said Tsang Fan-yu, a designer who was at Wednesday's protest with his seven-year-old son for their sixth consecutive year.

"We have to come out to make our voices heard. The form of democracy Beijing wants is unacceptable. It's fake."

A cluster of banners read "Real Universal Suffrage. No pre-screened election", while protesters also called on the city's embattled and pro-Beijing leader, Leung Chun-ying, to step down after a series of scandals.

"We want to see Hong Kong people have a genuine choice in electing their leaders," said Anson Chan, a respected former head of the civil service, who was at the rally.

Discord over the city's democratic future could culminate in a protest this summer called "Occupy Central", seeking to shut down the central business district of one of Asia's most important financial centers.

"No direct election? See you in Central!" read one of the banners.

A New Year civil referendum was also launched to gauge the public's preferences for the 2017 poll, with some 50,000 Hong Kong residents having voted by late afternoon.

"Hong Kong's political future has now come to a critical moment," said Johnson Yeung, one of the rally organizers. "The 2014 New Year's Day rally will become the first field of battle between the public and the government."

Source: Thousands march in Hong Kong in escalating battle for democracy| Reuters

 

[帅的一匹]

Only thousand? Far below my estimation.

Central government has the final decision right to appoint Hong Kong leader.

 

[Mech]

Only thousand? Far below my estimation.

Central government has the final decision right to appoint Hong Kong leader.

It says "Thousands" with an 's'.

Learn 2 English.

 

[帅的一匹]

It says "Thousands" with an 's'.

Learn 2 English.

It says "Thousands" with an 's'.

Learn 2 English.

Non of your business, get your dirty hands off my country.

 

[Genesis]

Napoleon was right, freedom is only necessary to those born with nobler minds.

Choosing a leader is not as important as actual results.

Take Taiwan, Ma Yingjuo, one of the best liked presidents ever, as of today, he's pretty hated. He's done nothing and will do nothing.

India is more or less the same, in a democracy, you just can't make too drastic a change too quickly, regardless of who you are, because there isn't a benefit to all policy available, somebody's going to get screwed, and it's up to the government to make that choice, silent majority rather than vocal minority.


I think we should just cut Hong Kong lose and make one of the other ports the center of Chinese economics, we are already opening up Shanghai, so maybe it's a start.

 

[conworldus]

Free election is important to Hong Kong's future. Hong Kong needs a government that reflects the wish of the population, and the current one has proven to be oblivious and in bed with property tycoons and big corporations. Inflation, wage stagnation, and pollution have hit Hong Kong hard and the government hasn't done much with it. I am not saying that a free election is a definition solution, but it will be a significant step toward the right direction.

 

[shuttler]

Free election is important to Hong Kong's future. Hong Kong needs a government that reflects the wish of the population, and the current one has proven to be oblivious and in bed with property tycoons and big corporations. Inflation, wage stagnation, and pollution have hit Hong Kong hard and the government hasn't done much with it. I am not saying that a free election is a definition solution, but it will be a significant step toward the right direction.

Not in the context that the election will lead to jeopardizing the sovereignty of China over HK nor that will help our enemies to establish to a legitimised base in HK that will create turmoils in China

 

[Abhishek_]

how the HK story unfolds also has meaning to Taiwan. If mainland is seen forcing its way on HK, the taiwanese would remain wary of any potential re-unification. .02

 

[shuttler]

how the HK story unfolds also has meaning to Taiwan. If mainland is seen forcing its way on HK, the taiwanese would remain wary of any potential re-unification. .02

It is inappropriate to make this project right now as Taiwan holds a different structure. It dpesnt have the basic law.

Overtime I am not seeing Taiwan can survive and grow on its own by its dependence on USA or japan.

As a matter of fact, most Taiwanese do not like the way of "democracy" and "governance" as practised by some poor countries like india or the Philippines!

 

[WAR-rior]

It is inappropriate to make this project right now as Taiwan holds a different structure. It dpesnt have the basic law.

Overtime I am not seeing Taiwan can survive and grow on its own by its dependence on USA or japan.

As a matter of fact, most Taiwanese do not like the way of "democracy" and "governance" as practised by some poor countries like india or the Philippines!

I wud rather want to listen that from aTaiwanese rather than slaves of China.

I am sure Taiwanese wont want to live in a dictatorship like you guyz.

 

[shuttler]

I wud rather want to listen that from aTaiwanese rather than slaves of China.

I am sure Taiwanese wont want to live in a dictatorship like you guyz.

I guess you are not reading news or not so much thoughtful about the difference between China and the prime example of a slavery country like your own.

Buy a good mirror to have a better look of your own shapes!

 

[Ammyy]

I guess you are not reading news or not so much thoughtful about the difference between China and the prime example of a slavery country like your own.

I don't know much about slave country but very well knows slave people with no rights.

 

[Abhishek_]

It is inappropriate to make this project right now as Taiwan holds a different structure. It dpesnt have the basic law.

Overtime I am not seeing Taiwan can survive and grow on its own by its dependence on USA or japan.

As a matter of fact, most Taiwanese do not like the way of "democracy" and "governance" as practised by some poor countries like india or the Philippines!

Taiwan's law and governance model actually has many lessons for the world including India, China and even the US.

Rest assured, TW evaluates HK's experience with the mainland very keenly.

 

[shuttler]

I don't know much about slave country but very well knows slave people with no rights.

on the first day of 2014 you people just demonstrates your delusions into the next millenium!

Taiwan's law and governance model actually has many lessons for the world including India, China and even the US.

Rest assured, TW evaluates HK's experience with the mainland very keenly.

Tawan has its own agenda. It does need to look at HK for its own decisions

 

[Abhishek_]

Tawan has their own agenda. They do need to look at HK for their own decisions

that was in essence what I said in the initial post. seems like we are on the page then...