September 10, 2003

Editorial

Hong Kong's Beijing-appointed governor has withdrawn the National Security Ordinance that prompted 500,000 people to take to the streets July 1. The withdrawal is a victory for the 6 million Hong Kong people and, in the long run, for the people of China.

The bill defined and forbade treason, subversion, secession, sedition and seditious publication. It allowed police to kick down a citizen's door without a warrant if these crimes were believed to be applicable. And it allowed groups to be banned in Hong Kong if they were "subordinate to" groups banned in China, or "connected" to them.

Part of this was clearly aimed at the Falun Gong, a religious group banned in China. It also worried others, including the Catholics, whose church does not operate freely in China.

Hong Kong authorities assured the people the law was reasonable. Part of it was, but part of it was not.

Before this, the Hong Kong people never stood up for themselves politically. For most of the time the British ruled, the people had neither a public vote nor political parties. In 1989, when China cracked down on student protesters in Beijing, the Hong Kong people turned out in huge demonstrations, but it was not against their government. This year it was. This year they stood up for themselves, and demanded their rulers bow to them. That bow just took place after a face-saving two months' delay.

Probably not too many Americans heard about it, but by now, a few hundred million people in China have. It is a good omen for the new century.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2001721557_honged10.html