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Updated Wednesday, January 13, 2010 10:08 am TWN, By Frank Ching, special to The China Post

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Hong Kong's dubious democracy

To his credit, Peng Qinghua, head of the Chinese government's office, known formally as the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government, responded to the protest well. He said that citizens' expressions of various views and demands were respected. He also voiced the hope that those expressions could take place in a rational and peaceful atmosphere.

Petitioning the government is an age-old tradition in China. Since Beijing has made it clear that the local administration does not have the authority to decide on major issues of political reform, it must be prepared to deal with modern-day petitioners, who in Hong Kong, at least, march and protest.

How has Beijing reacted historically to demonstrations in Hong Kong?

In 1989, in the wake of the Tiananmen Square crackdown when a million people took to the streets in Hong Kong, Beijing responded by strengthening the Basic Law to outlaw “subversion” of the state.

And in 2003, after half a million people marched against the national security bill, Beijing reacted by ruling out universal suffrage in 2007-2008 and decided to reserve to itself the right to decide when to allow universal suffrage in elections to choose the chief executive and the legislature.

However, in December 2007, the standing committee decided that universal suffrage could be applied in the 2017 election of the chief executive. That decision certainly would not have been made if it were not for the fact that the demand for democracy in Hong Kong was so strong.

So China does respond to public pressure. However, it does not like to lose face, so the immediate reaction is almost always negative, possibly followed by a more conciliatory position later.

The New Year's Day demonstration was held largely because many people do not believe Beijing will allow genuine democracy, even in 2017.

However, Hong Kong's job now is to forge a consensus on how elections are to take place. A lack of consensus could give Beijing an excuse to renege on its commitment.

Of course, if Beijing then vetoes whatever Hong Kong comes up with, it will have to face the wrath of the community here as well as see the formula of “one country, two systems” subjected to international ridicule.

Frank.ching@gmail.com.

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