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Hong Kong government debates divisive political reforms | Hong Kong government debates divisive political reforms |
(35 minutes later) | |
Hong Kong's government is debating a controversial political reform package ahead of a much-anticipated vote later this week. | Hong Kong's government is debating a controversial political reform package ahead of a much-anticipated vote later this week. |
Protesters have gathered outside the city's Legislative Council building. | Protesters have gathered outside the city's Legislative Council building. |
The package will for the first time give citizens the right to vote for their chief executive, in 2017. But candidates will be vetted by a pro-Beijing committee. | |
Last September the city saw weeks of large-scale pro-democracy protests. | Last September the city saw weeks of large-scale pro-democracy protests. |
Hundreds of activists, comprising pro-democracy and pro-Beijing supporters, are outside the Legislative Council (LegCo) premises waving banners and shouting slogans. | Hundreds of activists, comprising pro-democracy and pro-Beijing supporters, are outside the Legislative Council (LegCo) premises waving banners and shouting slogans. |
Meanwhile amid heightened concern about security in the city, six people accused of a bomb plot appeared in court for a bail hearing. It was not known whether they were linked to the protests. | |
Hundreds of police officers have been deployed inside and outside the LegCo building. | |
One of the first speakers in the debate was Chief Secretary Carrie Lam, who warned against blocking the package. | |
"This administration cannot re-launch the (reform) process... political development will inevitably come to a standstill," she said. | |
Outside, a pro-Beijing activist surnamed Chan told Reuters: "The bill needs to go through. We have to support Hong Kong stability. We cannot keep carrying on like this." | |
But protester Fion Wong told AFP news agency: "I'm here to oppose the so-called democracy." | |
"Passing it [the bill] would be a betrayal to those who have taken part in the Occupy movement," she added, referring to the Occupy Central pro-democracy movement. | |
Hong Kong's pro-democracy lawmakers, who say the reform proposal does not represent true democracy, look set to vote against the proposal despite warnings from the Chinese government not to do so. | Hong Kong's pro-democracy lawmakers, who say the reform proposal does not represent true democracy, look set to vote against the proposal despite warnings from the Chinese government not to do so. |
If that is the case, the legislature is unlikely to get the two-thirds majority it needs to pass the bill. | If that is the case, the legislature is unlikely to get the two-thirds majority it needs to pass the bill. |
Hong Kong's next chief executive would then be selected as before by a 1,200-member committee, that is currently stacked with Beijing loyalists. | Hong Kong's next chief executive would then be selected as before by a 1,200-member committee, that is currently stacked with Beijing loyalists. |
"If the pan-democrats stubbornly insist on vetoing the proposal, democracy in Hong Kong will come to a standstill," Song Ru'an, a Chinese foreign ministry official in Hong Kong, told reporters. | "If the pan-democrats stubbornly insist on vetoing the proposal, democracy in Hong Kong will come to a standstill," Song Ru'an, a Chinese foreign ministry official in Hong Kong, told reporters. |
It is unclear what China's response will be if the package is vetoed in the vote, which is expected to take place on Thursday or Friday. | It is unclear what China's response will be if the package is vetoed in the vote, which is expected to take place on Thursday or Friday. |
China on Tuesday warned against "radical forces" in Hong Kong after police arrested 10 people on suspicion of a bomb plot. | |
Six suspects appeared in court on Wednesday. They each face a charge of conspiring to cause an explosion or making explosives. | |
Five men - Chan Yiu-shing, Cheng Wai-shing, Rizzy Pennelli, Wu Kai-fu and Man Ting-lock - were remanded while the sixth person, a woman named Sarene Chan Cheuk-lam, was granted bail, reported The South China Morning Post. | |
Analysis: Juliana Liu, BBC News, Hong Kong | Analysis: Juliana Liu, BBC News, Hong Kong |
The last time the spectre of bombs exploding on the streets hung over Hong Kong, the city was still a British colony. | The last time the spectre of bombs exploding on the streets hung over Hong Kong, the city was still a British colony. |
But over the past 50 years, despite major upheavals, Hong Kong has remained an uncommonly safe city, home to people holding diverse political views. | But over the past 50 years, despite major upheavals, Hong Kong has remained an uncommonly safe city, home to people holding diverse political views. |
So, the news that police had arrested at least 10 people on suspicion of conspiracy to make bombs, ahead of a key vote at the Legislative Council, has shocked and divided the general public. | So, the news that police had arrested at least 10 people on suspicion of conspiracy to make bombs, ahead of a key vote at the Legislative Council, has shocked and divided the general public. |
Read more: Occupy gone sour? 'Bombs' in Hong Kong | Read more: Occupy gone sour? 'Bombs' in Hong Kong |
Police had earlier said one suspect had claimed to be a member of a "radical local group" but would not name the group or specify motives. | |
Pro-democracy activists have accused police of launching a smear campaign against them. | Pro-democracy activists have accused police of launching a smear campaign against them. |