BBC: Jiang speech marred by HK protests

Tuesday, 8 May, 2001, 14:12 GMT 15:12 UK

Chinese President Jiang Zemin's opening speech at the Global Fortune Forum in Hong Kong has been marred by protests and scuffles from groups including the Falun Gong spiritual movement. Around 100 members of Falun Gong - which is banned on the mainland, but legal in Hong Kong - were deported as they tried to enter the territory. The US is now demanding to know why some US citizens were among those refused entry.

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About 3,000 police officers are maintaining a tight security cordon around Hong Kong's waterfront convention centre.

Police boats and frogmen are patrolling the harbour, and a no-fly zone has been declared over the venue and a hotel where the Chinese president is staying during his 24-hour visit.

However, Falun Gong members staged silent protests in various parts of the city against what they describe as persecution of the movement on the Chinese mainland.

The movement says up to 200 of its members have been tortured to death by the Chinese authorities.

"Jiang Zemin cannot shirk responsibility for the persecution of Falun Gong," one banner read.

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Correspondents say President Jiang rarely faces protests on Chinese soil and the demonstrations could pose one of the most serious challenges to Hong Kong's post-handover freedoms.

US demand

In his address to the Global Fortune Forum, Mr Jiang said the residents of Hong Kong residents "have enjoyed full freedoms" since it was handed back to China nearly four years ago.

The Chinese president said the territory would continue to enjoy a great deal of autonomy under the "one country, two systems" arrangement.

But a spokesman for the US consulate said it was asking the Hong Kong Government to clarify why American passport-holders were stopped by immigration officers and deported.

They were all members of Falun Gong, which says around 100 of its members have now been barred from entering the territory.

A Falun Gong spokeswoman, Hui Yee-han, has accused the authorities of operating a blacklist against its members.

Hong Kong immigration director Lee Siu-kwong denied the existence of such a list, saying no one had been stopped at the border because of Falun Gong membership.

There are reports that some Falun Gong members have been finding their way into Hong Kong. About 15 followers from Taiwan said they had entered the territory without any problems.

But another member said by telephone from Chek Lap Kok airport that she was having trouble getting through.