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CNN Live Sunday
Pro-Democracy Rally Held in Hong Kong
Aired July 13, 2003 - 16:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN ANCHOR: In Hong Kong, thousands of people turned out today for a pro-democracy rally. It's been six years since control of the territory was handed back to China. Now critics say there's a dangerous trend away from freedom. CNN's Mike Chinoy has the report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE CHINOY, CNN SR. ASIA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Keeping up the pressure under a blazing sun, thousands of demonstrators packed downtown Hong Kong. The third such protest in less than two weeks.
What began as an outpouring of anger over a proposed national security law, which many fear would lead to human rights abuses here similar to those throughout mainland China, has now become a full- blown crisis for this city's Beijing-appointed chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, and the territory's restricted political system.
LOUIS SHIH, DEMOCRACY DEVELOPMENT NETWORK: We want to promote democracy in Hong Kong, and more specifically we want universal suffrage, both for the CE, the chief executive, and also all the members of the legislative council.
CHINOY: At the moment, the chief executive is chosen by an 800- member election committee vetted by Beijing, while fewer than half the members of the legislature are directly elected. And while many Hong Kong people would like to see Tung, who's highly unpopular, resign, there's a growing chorus of voices saying much more is needed.
AUDREY FU, OPPOSITION LEGISLATOR: It's not enough to change a person, because you can have another person who is just as bad or even worse than the previous one.
CHINOY (on camera): Alarmed by the emergence of a people power style democracy movement on the streets here, the Chinese authorities have sent dozens of officials to Hong Kong in recent days, trying to figure out why Tung Chee-hwa is so unpopular and what Beijing should do about the situation.
(voice-over): It's a dilemma. Sanctioning Tung's departure or accepting political reform in Hong Kong would send a message throughout China that street protests can produce results. But hanging tough could well fuel the movement here.
FU: If the government does not hurry up with the electoral and the democratic reform, there will be more rallies, more marches. CHINOY: And even though the largely middle-class demonstrators have been peaceful and well behaved, for a regime that has crushed even the most modest appeals for political reform in mainland China, what's happening here could reverberate well beyond the streets of Hong Kong.
Mike Chinoy, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 13, 2003 - 16:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN ANCHOR: In Hong Kong, thousands of people turned out today for a pro-democracy rally. It's been six years since control of the territory was handed back to China. Now critics say there's a dangerous trend away from freedom. CNN's Mike Chinoy has the report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE CHINOY, CNN SR. ASIA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Keeping up the pressure under a blazing sun, thousands of demonstrators packed downtown Hong Kong. The third such protest in less than two weeks.
What began as an outpouring of anger over a proposed national security law, which many fear would lead to human rights abuses here similar to those throughout mainland China, has now become a full- blown crisis for this city's Beijing-appointed chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa, and the territory's restricted political system.
LOUIS SHIH, DEMOCRACY DEVELOPMENT NETWORK: We want to promote democracy in Hong Kong, and more specifically we want universal suffrage, both for the CE, the chief executive, and also all the members of the legislative council.
CHINOY: At the moment, the chief executive is chosen by an 800- member election committee vetted by Beijing, while fewer than half the members of the legislature are directly elected. And while many Hong Kong people would like to see Tung, who's highly unpopular, resign, there's a growing chorus of voices saying much more is needed.
AUDREY FU, OPPOSITION LEGISLATOR: It's not enough to change a person, because you can have another person who is just as bad or even worse than the previous one.
CHINOY (on camera): Alarmed by the emergence of a people power style democracy movement on the streets here, the Chinese authorities have sent dozens of officials to Hong Kong in recent days, trying to figure out why Tung Chee-hwa is so unpopular and what Beijing should do about the situation.
(voice-over): It's a dilemma. Sanctioning Tung's departure or accepting political reform in Hong Kong would send a message throughout China that street protests can produce results. But hanging tough could well fuel the movement here.
FU: If the government does not hurry up with the electoral and the democratic reform, there will be more rallies, more marches. CHINOY: And even though the largely middle-class demonstrators have been peaceful and well behaved, for a regime that has crushed even the most modest appeals for political reform in mainland China, what's happening here could reverberate well beyond the streets of Hong Kong.
Mike Chinoy, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
