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| Hong Kong Officials and Protesters Agree to Talk | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s government and the student groups responsible for huge protests that have attracted worldwide attention agreed on Tuesday to hold negotiations on the future of democracy here, but some students immediately expressed disappointment at the narrow range of the planned discussions. | |
| In a preliminary session late Tuesday, government negotiators and student leaders agreed that the formal talks set to begin on Friday would address how to change the electoral system, within the framework of the Basic Law, the mini-constitution that governs Hong Kong. The local authorities and the central government in Beijing have insisted that the changes the students seek are against those rules. | In a preliminary session late Tuesday, government negotiators and student leaders agreed that the formal talks set to begin on Friday would address how to change the electoral system, within the framework of the Basic Law, the mini-constitution that governs Hong Kong. The local authorities and the central government in Beijing have insisted that the changes the students seek are against those rules. |
| At stake is the method by which Hong Kong’s top official, the chief executive, is chosen. In late August, China’s legislature restricted candidates for chief executive to those picked by a committee dominated by Beijing loyalists, provoking the protests that exploded on Sept. 28. | At stake is the method by which Hong Kong’s top official, the chief executive, is chosen. In late August, China’s legislature restricted candidates for chief executive to those picked by a committee dominated by Beijing loyalists, provoking the protests that exploded on Sept. 28. |
| The students and many of the thousands of Hong Kong residents who demonstrated with them over the past week and a half want nominations to be open, allowing voters, not a committee or a political party, to put forward candidates. | The students and many of the thousands of Hong Kong residents who demonstrated with them over the past week and a half want nominations to be open, allowing voters, not a committee or a political party, to put forward candidates. |
| “The government is insincere,” Lester Shum, deputy secretary general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, told reporters on Tuesday evening. “I hope when we actually meet, they can directly face Hong Kong’s political issues.” | “The government is insincere,” Lester Shum, deputy secretary general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, told reporters on Tuesday evening. “I hope when we actually meet, they can directly face Hong Kong’s political issues.” |
| Mr. Shum said any move to shut down the protests, which have blocked one of Hong Kong’s most important transportation arteries and several commercial districts, would scuttle the talks. | Mr. Shum said any move to shut down the protests, which have blocked one of Hong Kong’s most important transportation arteries and several commercial districts, would scuttle the talks. |
| With the government demanding that streets be cleared by the start of business this week and calls from some protest supporters to scale back the sit-ins, the number of demonstrators has dwindled drastically, but many barricades have been maintained. | With the government demanding that streets be cleared by the start of business this week and calls from some protest supporters to scale back the sit-ins, the number of demonstrators has dwindled drastically, but many barricades have been maintained. |
| Following a familiar pattern established last week, by nightfall on Tuesday the number of people in the protest zones was swelling again as supporters returned from work and school — but remained much lower than in previous days. | Following a familiar pattern established last week, by nightfall on Tuesday the number of people in the protest zones was swelling again as supporters returned from work and school — but remained much lower than in previous days. |
| At dinnertime, more than 200 people were in the protest zone in Causeway Bay, a neon-lit shopping district. Many of those inside the zone — which in normal times is a busy thoroughfare for cars, trams and buses — were looking at their cellphones. A few slept on plastic sheets. | At dinnertime, more than 200 people were in the protest zone in Causeway Bay, a neon-lit shopping district. Many of those inside the zone — which in normal times is a busy thoroughfare for cars, trams and buses — were looking at their cellphones. A few slept on plastic sheets. |
| In the morning, the number of people camped out on Harcourt Road near the office of the chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, whose resignation many protesters have called for, appeared to be no more than 100. | In the morning, the number of people camped out on Harcourt Road near the office of the chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, whose resignation many protesters have called for, appeared to be no more than 100. |
| The scene in Mong Kok, across Victoria Harbor in Kowloon, was similar. Protesters numbered only in the dozens, with their copious provisions — tents, crates of food, water bottles — giving the illusion of a much larger crowd. | The scene in Mong Kok, across Victoria Harbor in Kowloon, was similar. Protesters numbered only in the dozens, with their copious provisions — tents, crates of food, water bottles — giving the illusion of a much larger crowd. |
| Hui Chan-tak, the chief spokesman of the Hong Kong Police, called on Tuesday afternoon for an end to protests in Mong Kok, and strongly criticized protest leaders for suggesting that their supporters remain there. “I urge students to leave for their own safety,” he said. | Hui Chan-tak, the chief spokesman of the Hong Kong Police, called on Tuesday afternoon for an end to protests in Mong Kok, and strongly criticized protest leaders for suggesting that their supporters remain there. “I urge students to leave for their own safety,” he said. |
| Michael C. Davis, a law professor at Hong Kong University, said that the movement should “declare victory” and end the sit-in now, rather than have it dwindle and allow the police to end it with a simple clearing operation. That way, he said, organizers can preserve the threat of future movements to get more leverage in talks with the government, a tactic he said was used by Poland’s Solidarity labor movement in the 1980s. | |
| “I think they moved the needle a little because they shocked the government,” Mr. Davis said in a telephone interview. “But to turn it into a victory there are more steps to take, and I think just lingering on the street isn’t necessarily going to get them there.” | |
| One Chinese newspaper editor who focuses on Hong Kong said Beijing was intent on dragging the situation out to strengthen its hand, as more and more Hong Kong citizens grow tired of the road blockages that can make travel around the city extremely inconvenient and cost shopkeepers money because of the drop in tourists from the mainland. | One Chinese newspaper editor who focuses on Hong Kong said Beijing was intent on dragging the situation out to strengthen its hand, as more and more Hong Kong citizens grow tired of the road blockages that can make travel around the city extremely inconvenient and cost shopkeepers money because of the drop in tourists from the mainland. |
| “So I think the government just decided to wait it out and let Hong Kong authorities manage things, because as the protests wear on, they’ve known that the spontaneous opposition to the protests will grow bigger and bigger,” the editor said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of discussing internal decision-making. “It will start to have a real impact on commerce and the economy will be affected.” | “So I think the government just decided to wait it out and let Hong Kong authorities manage things, because as the protests wear on, they’ve known that the spontaneous opposition to the protests will grow bigger and bigger,” the editor said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of discussing internal decision-making. “It will start to have a real impact on commerce and the economy will be affected.” |
| Still, many of the protesters say they plan to stay until the government agrees to their demands. | Still, many of the protesters say they plan to stay until the government agrees to their demands. |
| Tom Chiu, 20, a computer science major at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, who has been at the Mong Kok site since Friday, said he was prepared to stay indefinitely. The son of a postal worker and a nurse, he said he was outraged by the large income gaps in Hong Kong. | Tom Chiu, 20, a computer science major at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, who has been at the Mong Kok site since Friday, said he was prepared to stay indefinitely. The son of a postal worker and a nurse, he said he was outraged by the large income gaps in Hong Kong. |
| “If there’s more democracy I think Hong Kong people can have better living conditions,” Mr. Chiu said. | “If there’s more democracy I think Hong Kong people can have better living conditions,” Mr. Chiu said. |
| The stalemate between the two sides was punctuated by an act of pettiness against one of the student leaders, Joshua Wong. Rylie Ip, a real estate agent, posted what he said was Mr. Wong’s home address late Sunday night on his Facebook page, asking people to “occupy” the home. The move set off outrage online for the apparent breach of privacy. The address he provided was incorrect. | The stalemate between the two sides was punctuated by an act of pettiness against one of the student leaders, Joshua Wong. Rylie Ip, a real estate agent, posted what he said was Mr. Wong’s home address late Sunday night on his Facebook page, asking people to “occupy” the home. The move set off outrage online for the apparent breach of privacy. The address he provided was incorrect. |
| Mr. Ip’s company, Midland Realty, said in a written statement on Tuesday that it had “deep regrets” over the “public discontent” that Mr. Ip’s remarks caused. Mr. Ip could not be reached for comment. | Mr. Ip’s company, Midland Realty, said in a written statement on Tuesday that it had “deep regrets” over the “public discontent” that Mr. Ip’s remarks caused. Mr. Ip could not be reached for comment. |