Hong Kong Demands Democracy

More than 250,000 people marched through the sweltering streets of Hong Kong yesterday in a pro-democracy demonstration which will have embarrassed the communist mainland government on the anniversary of the territory's handover from British rule.

Waving inflatable dolls of the unpopular chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, and banners demanding "Power to the People", the protesters vastly outnumbered the crowd that had gathered earlier in the day for the official flag-raising ceremony to mark the transfer of power in 1997.

Last year, the Chinese prime minister, Wen Jiabao, attended the event but this year no leaders were sent from Beijing to attend the commemorations of what ought to be one of the mainland's proudest days.

Respect for the central government has deteriorated since Beijing's decision this year to block reforms that would have allowed for direct elections of Hong's Kong's leader and legislature after 2007.

Currently, the chief executive is selected by an 800-strong committee picked by Beijing. More than half of the territory's legislators are chosen by groups of business people and professionals.

Yesterday, many marchers said China had contravened the "one party, two systems" arrangement agreed for the territory on its transfer from colonial rule.

"Beijing has put so much pressure on Hong Kong," said Jonathan Ngai, who joined the rally with his family. "We are not against the mainland, but we want to show them that we want full elections."

Yesterday's march was about half the size of the anniversary rally last year, but this will be scant consolation to Beijing. Last year, demonstrators focused on Mr Tung, who was blamed for the weak economy, the handling of Sars, and an unpopular plan to tighten anti-subversion laws.

This year, the economy has improved, Sars has been defeated and there is no single issue to concentrate voters' minds. Instead, the demonstrators targeted a bigger goal. "We can see democracy slipping away," said one marcher, Veronica Wong. "For that we blame the leaders not only of Hong Kong, but also China."

"All these people braved the heat to show Beijing and the international community that we want democracy," said the legislator Emily Lau. "Hong Kong should be proud of the atmosphere on this march today."

The mainland Chinese media made no mention of the demonstration, focusing instead on the flag-raising ceremony, attended by 3,000 people. The foreign ministry in Beijing said Hong Kong enjoyed "real and unprecedented democracy". The central government has engaged in its first direct talks with Hong Kong's democrats since the transfer of power seven years ago.

Speaking at an event in Indonesia, the last British governor, Chris Patten, urged China to give Hong Kong's citizens more say in running their own affairs.

"Hong Kong is a sophisticated, well-educated society, and I think that it would be sensible for the leadership in Beijing to recognise that," he told a press conference in Jakarta.

There was, Mr Patten said, a debate "raging in China about the extent to which politics is going to have to change to accommodate what's happening socially and economically."

"My own view is that if they trusted the people in Hong Kong it would make the results more rather than less successful."