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Attacks HK’s democrats on Feb. 26, 2004 ……
China attacks HK's democrats
UNDER FIRE: Commentary by China's official media accused `some people' in the territory of working against the Communist Party and of not loving their country
REUTERS , HONG KONG
China has accused democrats in Hong Kong of trying to overthrow the central government and colluding with pro-independence forces in Taiwan and foreign powers.
"Some people continue to participate in or even lead political organizations aiming at opposing the leadership of the Communist Party and subverting the central government, using democracy as a shield," wrote Tang Hua, deputy chief editor of the official Xinhua news agency's Outlook magazine.
The commentary was carried in full by Xinhua on Tuesday and was widely reported in Hong Kong newspapers yesterday.
The article did not name names, but it was clear that it was referring to Hong Kong's pro-democracy politicians and activists.
One of Hong Kong's main pro-Beijing newspapers, Wen Wei Po, said the commentary referred to prominent pro-democracy lawmakers such as Martin Lee and Emily Lau.
China said there was no way they would be allowed to usurp power in the territory, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
"Among those who are trying to
join the ranks of rulers in Hong Kong there is also a minority whose deeds and
words are obviously against the requirement of loving the country [China] and
loving Hong Kong," it said.
It said some people had continued to join or lead an organization that aimed to overthrow the central government, deny constitutional law and oppose the Communist Party.
It also said some people had endangered China's state security by opposing a controversial anti-subversion law planned by Hong Kong's China-backed leaders.
Half a million people took to the streets of Hong Kong last July to protest against the planned security legislation, which critics said would threaten basic rights and freedoms. The bill was later shelved.
It also attacked those who "openly express support for independence in Taiwan."
"We have to clearly identify their vicious intentions and we can never allow them to usurp the ruling power in Hong Kong", the commentary charged.
China is deeply concerned about growing calls for more democracy in Hong Kong, fearing it could spread to the mainland. It also worries that such demands could eventually lead Hong Kong to demand independence, even though most people in the territory have accepted Chinese rule.
When it took back control of Hong Kong it was seen as a major step in reunifying the country.
The Xinhua commentary comes as Beijing is trying to dampen calls for more democracy in this former British colony.
In recent weeks, China's official media and experts and officials in Beijing have issued a steady stream of thinly veiled warnings that the Communist Party will not tolerate calls for full voting rights anytime soon.
They have invoked the words of China's late revered leader Deng Xiaoping, saying only patriots should run the city.
Beijing, and not Hong Kong people, selects the city's leader and most of its legislators. But after years of policy blunders and mismanagement, many residents are agitating to directly elect their leader and all lawmakers as soon as 2007.
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On Feb. 26, 2004 ……
US keeps eye on Beijing ahead of poll
MISSILE THREAT:: The head of the CIA said that he was concerned about China's missile build-up, but has seen no unusual deployments so far
By Charles Snyder, STAFF REPORTER IN WASHINGTON
The US, concerned over China's movements in the Taiwan Strait in advance of the March 20 election, will keep a close watch for any signs of military activity by Beijing in the runup to the poll, CIA Director George Tenet said on Tuesday.
"We are closely monitoring the situation across the Taiwan Strait in the period surrounding Taiwan's presidential election next month," Tenet said in a prepared statement for a hearing of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee on worldwide threats.
Tenet's statement, and his oral remarks in his testimony, represented the strongest warning from the Bush administration in many months over the threat posed by some 500 Chinese ballistic missiles deployed in the Nanjing Military District.
"China continues an aggressive missile modernization program that will improve its ability to conduct a wide range of military options against Taiwan supported by both cruise and ballistic missiles. Expected technical improvements will give Beijing a more accurate and lethal missile force," Tenet told the committee, in what has been his annual report to Congress on global threats.
His comments were the first by a US official that specifically linked the election with Washington's concern over a possible Chinese military response to political developments in Taiwan.
Most observers in Washington, both in and outside of government, appear to have assumed that China would keep a low profile during the election to avoid bolstering the re-election chances of President Chen Shui-bian.
Tenet did not explain, nor was he asked about whether he had any intelligence information pointing to a need to keep a close eye on China's military activities.
His concern, though, fits in with the wider issue he mentioned of China's overall military actions.
"Our greatest concern [in East Asia] remains China's military buildup, which continues to accelerate," he said, also citing China's substantial recent diplomatic gains in East Asia, and its economic growth and integration with the region's economies.
"Chinese leadership politics, especially the incomplete leadership transition, will influence how Beijing deals with the Taiwan issue this year and beyond. President and Communist Party leader Hu Jintao still shares power with his predecessor in those positions, Jiang Zemin," Tenet said.
The director of the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency, Vice Admiral Lowell Jacoby, however, told the committee that China had not given any indication that it was planning military activity in connection with the election.
"We see no indication of preparations for large-scale military exercises or other military activity to influence Taiwan[ese] voters at this stage," Jacoby said.
His testimony more closely tracked the public position of the administration since US President George W. Bush slammed Chen's referendum plan after meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao last December in the White House.
"Domestic political events in Taipei are the principal determinant of short-term stability in the Taiwan Strait," Jacoby said.
"Beijing is monitoring
developments in advance of next month's presidential elections and referendum,
ever-concerned about a Taiwan declaration of independence," he said.
"Beijing will not tolerate the
island's independence and will use military force regardless of the costs or
risks," he said.
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On Feb. 26, 2004 ……
Supporters of the Democratic Progressive Party and the pan-blue camp engage in a scuffle outside the pan-blue camp's presidential campaign headquarters in Ilan yesterday. The DPP members were protesting comments made by lawmakers against Premier Yu Shyi-kun in the legislature on Tuesday.
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On Feb. 26, 2004 ……
Yes to Taiwan, No to Missiles
A float drawing attention to China's missile threat Taiwan is unveiled in Kaohsiung yesterday. A total of 16 floats-designed by a Kaohsiung-based support group for President Chen Shui-bian-will take part in a human-chain rally on Saturday.
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On Feb. 26, 2004 ……
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