Free Newsletters - Space - Defense - Environment - Energy
..
. Medical and Hospital News .




SINO DAILY
China rebukes former H.K. leader over democracy remarks
by Staff Writers
Hong Kong (AFP) Nov 14, 2013


China has hit back at remarks made by Hong Kong's last colonial leader in which he described the city's transition to democracy as inevitable, calling them "unwarranted".

Chris Patten, the city's last British governor, said in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal that anyone who resists the right for Hong Kong citizens to elect their own government is "spitting in the wind".

"The only thing [Hong Kong] doesn't have is the right to elect its own government, and sooner or later it will have," Patten told the newspaper on a visit to Singapore Monday, adding that residents would ultimately want greater control over how their city was run.

Chinese authorities on Wednesday said Patten, who administered Hong Kong for the five years prior to its handover to China in 1997, was not in a position to comment.

"We are firmly opposed to people of foreign countries to make unwarranted remarks or point fingers," a spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Commission in Hong Kong, an arm of the Foreign Ministry in Beijing, said.

"The people of Hong Kong enjoy unprecedented rights and freedoms according to law," he said, adding that the city's political development was an internal matter for the territory and China.

China has promised the former British colony it will see a transition to universal suffrage by 2017, though critics say little or no progress has been made on the prickly issue as the deadline draws closer.

In the interview, Patten also said his biggest regrets from his time as Hong Kong governor were not taking earlier steps to implement democratic reforms under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, in particular regarding elections.

During his administration, Patten introduced political reforms which allowed more people to vote in the territory's legislative body, but these were rolled back when China gained sovereignty.

Recent debate over Hong Kong's electoral reforms has revolved around how candidates will be chosen to stand for the 2017 chief executive election, with concerns Beijing will restrict voters' choices.

The Foreign Ministry in Beijing has made a series of rebukes to foreign officials who have called for greater democracy in the southern Chinese city.

In September, it branded "irresponsible" remarks by British Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire who said democracy is "vital to Hong Kong stability".

It also accused Washington's consul general in Hong Kong, Clifford Hart, of meddling in China's internal affairs after he made similar remarks on looking forward to "progress towards genuine universal suffrage" in August.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under an agreement with Britain that grants it semi-autonomous status and enshrines civil liberties not seen in mainland China. But policies in relation to defense and foreign affairs are administered by Beijing.

.


Related Links
China News from SinoDaily.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle




Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News





SINO DAILY
China cake millionaire at home in his six castles
Chongqing, China (AFP) Nov 14, 2013
As the greatest urbanisation drive in history swells China's cities with ranks of identikit apartment blocks, one culinary businessman is indulging his architectural appetite with a visual feast of extravagant, outlandish castles. "I don't have any hobbies, except for planting trees and building castles," said Liu Chonghua, standing on a crenellated turret atop the largest of the six he has ... read more


SINO DAILY
China to step up aid to Philippines amid controversy

Amphibious vehicles to boost Philippine aid effort

Obama calls on US to aid storm-ravaged Philippines

UN admits failings as Philippines aid effort gets into gear

SINO DAILY
Russia to enforce GLONASS Over GPS

How pigeons may smell their way home

UK conservationists using location-based system ManagePlaces

A Better Way to Track Your Every Move

SINO DAILY
Fast-mutating DNA sequences shape early development; guided evolution of uniquely human traits

Scientists tracking Brazilian wildlife find ancient cave paintings

Study: Humans made sophisticated stone tools earlier than thought

Did hard-wired fear of snakes drive evolution of human vision?

SINO DAILY
Changing the conversation -- polymers disrupt bacterial communication

US posts $1 mln reward targeting Laos poaching ring

Bacteria may allow animals to send quick, voluminous messages

The secrets of a bug's flight

SINO DAILY
How zinc starves lethal bacteria to stop infection

Man dies, toddler critical in new Cambodia bird flu cases

Taiwan doctors urge vigilance over new bird flu virus

France okays home tests for HIV

SINO DAILY
China rebukes former H.K. leader over democracy remarks

US film school offers China scholarships

Action to determine fate of China 'reform' agenda: analysts

Dust of corruption case lingers over China's Nanjing

SINO DAILY
Spain jails six Somalis for piracy

Pirates kidnap two American sailors off Nigeria

Seaman Guard owner to fight arrest of ship's crew in India

Somali pirates on trial for seizing French yacht

SINO DAILY
China Communist Party vows to deepen reforms at key meeting

Walker's World: Are the Germans right?

China to allow more private investment in state firms: report

Outside View: Slowing growth clouds U.S. jobs outlook




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement