BY EVA CHENG
Hong Kong secretary for security Regina Ip, notorious for her arrogant and bureaucratic handling of the territory's controversial proposed anti-subversion law (article 23 of Hong Kong's Basic Law, the territory's "constitution"), resigned on July 16.
Her resignation followed three mass mobilisations in less than two weeks in July, which involved nearly 800,000 people opposed to the anti-subversion law. The massive actions undoubtedly contributed to the government's 11th-hour move to suspend legislative proceedings on July 9.
In another move to ease public anger, the territory's financial secretary Antony Leung also resigned on July 16. Leung was at the centre of an alleged tax-dodging scandal. He was found to have bought a luxury car in January, just weeks before he announced increased auto taxes in March. Leung survived a no-confidence motion in May but public resentment did not subside, fuelled by massive job losses, pay cuts and a depressed economy since 1997.
Between 500,000 and 700,000 people demonstrated against article 23 on the sensitive day of July 1 — the sixth anniversary of China's resumption of sovereignty over Hong Kong. But the government of Tung Chee-Hwa has vowed to press ahead with the scheduled legislative proceedings to pass article 23.
He did back down partially on July 5 by scrapping a clause which automatically incriminates Hong Kong-affiliates of China-based organisations which Beijing determines to be "subversive". Tung also accepted "public interest" as a valid defence in the event of unauthorised disclosure of classified government information and junked the plan to authorise cops to conduct raids without a court warrant.
On July 9, the day article 23 was scheduled to be tabled in the legislative chamber, Tung suspended the proceedings altogether. But a planned candle-light vigil "to lay siege" to the legislative building that night went ahead, attracting more than 50,000 people, who flooded neighbouring streets, squares and public spaces. There were persistent calls among the protesters for Tung to resign and for popular elections for the territory's legislature and its chief executive.
Another demonstration was held on the evening of July 13 to press for further democratisation of Hong Kong. It attracted more than 20,000 people despite a heat wave.
The July 6 decision of the pro-business Liberal Party to support delaying the July 9 debate on article 23 seems crucial to Tung's decision to suspend the debate. The Liberals control eight votes in the legislature, adding to the weight of 22 pro-democracy or independent legislators who had already planned to stall the proposal. On July 6, Liberal leader James Tien also resigned from Tung's advisory chamber — the Executive Council — completing only one-fifth of his 5-year term.
None of this pleased Beijing. On July 14, the China Daily harshly criticised the recent protest wave in Hong Kong, accusing protesters of being manipulated by "subversive" forces.
From Green Left Weekly, July 23, 2003.
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