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| Chinese president heckled amid Hong Kong protests | Chinese president heckled amid Hong Kong protests |
| (4 months later) | |
| A pro-democracy protester interrupted a speech by the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, at the swearing in of Hong Kong's new leader, while thousands of residents marched to demonstrate against Chinese rule on the 15th anniversary of its return to Beijing's control. | A pro-democracy protester interrupted a speech by the Chinese president, Hu Jintao, at the swearing in of Hong Kong's new leader, while thousands of residents marched to demonstrate against Chinese rule on the 15th anniversary of its return to Beijing's control. |
| The outpouring of discontent underscored rising tensions between the communist mainland and the city of 7 million, which was returned to China in 1997 after more than a century of British rule. | The outpouring of discontent underscored rising tensions between the communist mainland and the city of 7 million, which was returned to China in 1997 after more than a century of British rule. |
| While much of the discontent revolves around growing economic inequality and stunted democratic development, residents are also upset over what they see as arrogant Chinese behaviour as wealthy mainlanders take over retail outlets during lavish shopping trips, for example, or even the choice of language during Sunday's swearing-in ceremony – Beijing-accented Mandarin instead of the Cantonese dialect spoken locally. | While much of the discontent revolves around growing economic inequality and stunted democratic development, residents are also upset over what they see as arrogant Chinese behaviour as wealthy mainlanders take over retail outlets during lavish shopping trips, for example, or even the choice of language during Sunday's swearing-in ceremony – Beijing-accented Mandarin instead of the Cantonese dialect spoken locally. |
| Self-made millionaire Leung Chun-ying, 57, became Hong Kong's third chief executive at Sunday's ceremony, after Donald Tsang and Tung Chee-hwa. He has promised to address Hong Kong residents' economic needs, including concern over skyrocketing housing prices, which many blame on buyers from the mainland. | Self-made millionaire Leung Chun-ying, 57, became Hong Kong's third chief executive at Sunday's ceremony, after Donald Tsang and Tung Chee-hwa. He has promised to address Hong Kong residents' economic needs, including concern over skyrocketing housing prices, which many blame on buyers from the mainland. |
| A demonstrator who tried to interrupt Hu as he began his address was bundled away by security officials. The man, one of the guests invited to the inauguration, waved a flag and shouted slogans calling for China's leaders to condemn the brutal crackdown on protesters in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on 4 June 1989. He also called for an end to one-party rule in China. Hu took no notice and continued with his speech, but the incident marred what was supposed to be a carefully orchestrated visit emphasising strengthened ties between Hong Kong and mainland China. | A demonstrator who tried to interrupt Hu as he began his address was bundled away by security officials. The man, one of the guests invited to the inauguration, waved a flag and shouted slogans calling for China's leaders to condemn the brutal crackdown on protesters in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on 4 June 1989. He also called for an end to one-party rule in China. Hu took no notice and continued with his speech, but the incident marred what was supposed to be a carefully orchestrated visit emphasising strengthened ties between Hong Kong and mainland China. |
| Leung, a police officer's son, replaces career bureaucrat Tsang, who took office in 2005 and is barred from another term. | Leung, a police officer's son, replaces career bureaucrat Tsang, who took office in 2005 and is barred from another term. |
| Leung was chosen as chief executive in March, winning 689 votes from a 1,200-seat committee of business elites who mostly voted according to Beijing's wishes. Hong Kong's 3.4 million registered voters, who can vote for neighbourhood councillors and half of all lawmakers, had no say. | Leung was chosen as chief executive in March, winning 689 votes from a 1,200-seat committee of business elites who mostly voted according to Beijing's wishes. Hong Kong's 3.4 million registered voters, who can vote for neighbourhood councillors and half of all lawmakers, had no say. |
| In mid-afternoon, tens of thousands of protesters began marching toward the newly built government headquarters complex on Hong Kong Island in sweltering heat, beating drums and waving British colonial flags. | In mid-afternoon, tens of thousands of protesters began marching toward the newly built government headquarters complex on Hong Kong Island in sweltering heat, beating drums and waving British colonial flags. |
| The protesters jammed the route of the march, a series of thoroughfares bordered by high-rise apartments and office buildings. There was occasional tension between demonstrators and the thousands of police deployed to maintain order, but the event passed off largely peacefully. | The protesters jammed the route of the march, a series of thoroughfares bordered by high-rise apartments and office buildings. There was occasional tension between demonstrators and the thousands of police deployed to maintain order, but the event passed off largely peacefully. |
| In his speech, Hu said Hong Kong residents had more democratic rights and freedoms than ever before, a reminder that China has mostly kept the promise it made when it regained the territory from Britain to keep Hong Kong's relatively open political system in place for 50 years. | In his speech, Hu said Hong Kong residents had more democratic rights and freedoms than ever before, a reminder that China has mostly kept the promise it made when it regained the territory from Britain to keep Hong Kong's relatively open political system in place for 50 years. |
| But that did little to assuage the feelings of the protesters, who see China's Communist party rule as strongly at odds with the values that many inherited from a British-influenced education, and the continuing spread of democracy to Asian neighbours such as South Korea and Chinese-speaking Taiwan. | But that did little to assuage the feelings of the protesters, who see China's Communist party rule as strongly at odds with the values that many inherited from a British-influenced education, and the continuing spread of democracy to Asian neighbours such as South Korea and Chinese-speaking Taiwan. |
| "China's way of thinking is totally different from ours," said builder Bono Lau, 46. "Tung Chee-hwa talked about one country, two systems but there's no more of that nowadays." | "China's way of thinking is totally different from ours," said builder Bono Lau, 46. "Tung Chee-hwa talked about one country, two systems but there's no more of that nowadays." |
| Beijing has pledged that Hong Kong can elect its own leader in 2017 and all legislators by 2020 at the earliest, but no roadmap has been laid out. | Beijing has pledged that Hong Kong can elect its own leader in 2017 and all legislators by 2020 at the earliest, but no roadmap has been laid out. |
| Calls for democracy have been catalysed by the stunted election that catapulted Leung to power and by corruption scandals surrounding his predecessor. Ordinary Hong Kong people fear the political system in place since 1997 has resulted in the city's billionaires having too much influence over senior government officials. Government data show that income inequality has risen to its highest in four decades. | Calls for democracy have been catalysed by the stunted election that catapulted Leung to power and by corruption scandals surrounding his predecessor. Ordinary Hong Kong people fear the political system in place since 1997 has resulted in the city's billionaires having too much influence over senior government officials. Government data show that income inequality has risen to its highest in four decades. |
| Leung himself was implicated in an embarrassing scandal just last week when it emerged he had made six illegal additions to his mansion in an exclusive neighbourhood on Hong Kong Island's Victoria Peak. | Leung himself was implicated in an embarrassing scandal just last week when it emerged he had made six illegal additions to his mansion in an exclusive neighbourhood on Hong Kong Island's Victoria Peak. |
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