Hong Kong protests 15 years of Chinese rule

03 July, 2012

In Hong Kong, on July 1, thousands of residents marched through the city to protest Chinese rule on the 15th anniversary of the city's return to Beijing's control. Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 after over a century of British colonial rule.

ON THE occasion of the celebration of the anniversary event, millionaire Leung Chun-ying, 57, became Hong Kong's third chief executive and was sworn in a public function attended by Chinese President Hu Jintao. A pro-democracy heckler interrupted a speech by Jintao at the swearing-in function.

It is said that the heckler waved a flag and yelled slogans, condemning the brutal crackdown in 1989 on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. He was whisked away by the security men. Hu took no notice of the incident and continued to read his speech highlighting stronger ties between Hong Kong and mainland China.

After enjoying the British rule of prosperity, the people of Hong Kong under Chinese rule are facing growing economic inequality, neglect of local Cantonese language, and slow democratic development causing discontentment. Even the official figures have revealed that income inequality in Hong Kong has hit its highest level in four decades.

Though Beijing has promised that Hong Kong can elect its own leader in 2017 and all legislators by 2020 but no roadmap has been provided for it.