CHINA:Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement scored another victory yesterday when more than 20,000 people demonstrated in the territory's third mass demonstration in less than two weeks.
About 10,000 people had been expected to attend yesterday's rally in the central business district, but the higher turnout appears to reflect widespread dissatisfaction with the performance of Mr Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong's leader, in dealing with the stagnant economy, SARS and other issues.
The rally, organised by the Democratic Development Network, called for democratic elections to the post of chief executive of Hong Kong by 2007 and to the Legislative Council in 2008.
Mr Tung was forced to postpone the bill's passage through the legislature early last Monday, six days after 500,000 people marched through Hong Kong to show their disaffection with the new law.
The resignation of a senior member of his cabinet over the issue eventually triggered the climbdown.
The collective show of frustration about Hong Kong's leadership has led the central government in Beijing to take soundings in the local community.
The protests seem to have raised concern on China's mainland about potential civil unrest. - (Financial Times Service)