Hong Kong Equal Rights

Hong Kong Marks 11th handover Anniversary as Thousands March

HONG KONG (AP) - Thousands of people marched through Hong Kong's streets Tuesday to demand full democratic rights as the former British colony marked the 11th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule.

Chanting “Power to people” and carrying banners reading “We want equal rights,” demonstrators headed toward the territory's main government office downtown.

Organizers said 30,000 protesters gathered at a park before the start of the demonstration, which was led by pro-democracy lawmakers and activists. Police put the figure at around 13,000.

“I'm not happy with the democratic development in Hong Kong,” said 55-year-old Wong Pak-lun. “We've returned to Chinese rule for over 10 years, but we still cannot achieve one man, one vote.”

The march has become an annual event for expressing public dissatisfaction since half a million people took to the streets in 2003, calling for rights to select the city's leader and legislature.

Since the handover to China on July 1, 1997 _ after 156 years of British rule _ Hong Kong has largely retained its Western-style civil liberties, including press freedom and the right to hold public protests. But its people still cannot directly elect the city's chief executive or all legislative members.

Catherine Lai, a 52-year-old clerk, said she was demonstrating out of concern that China's central government would take away more freedoms.

“I'm worried eventually we will lose the right to protest under Beijing's pressure,” Lai said. “I will still take part in this annual march as long as we have the right to do so.”

Earlier in the day, a few hundred local leaders and onlookers in red caps gathered beside the city's harbor as Hong Kong and Chinese flags were raised together during a commemorative ceremony. Children performed a traditional Chinese dance and hoisted rings representing next month's Olympic Games.

“We should celebrate the anniversary. It's like a birthday every year,” Mary Chow, a 57-year-old nurse, said after the ceremony.

Hong Kong's leader is chosen by an 800-member committee dominated by members loyal to Beijing. Half of its legislators are elected, with the rest chosen by interest groups.

Some lawmakers have repeatedly asked for full democracy in 2012, but Beijing ruled last year the territory could elect its own leader in 2017 and all of its legislators later, possibly 2020 at the earliest.