The first visit of Hu Jin-tao, Vice President of People's
Republic of China, to the SAR was marked by protests
of activists calling for the reversal of the 1989
democratic movement. Protesters set fire to their petition
and banner as they were unable to present them to Hu
directly.
Hu, widely tipped to be the successor to Jiang Ze-min,
made his visit to the SAR on June 29, 1999 to mark the
second anniversary of the handover. A dozen protesters
from April 5th Movement and other activist groups
scuffled with police as they demanded to hand a petition
to Hu during his tour at the Hong Kong Stock
Exchange.
Their first attempt to set fire on the petition and slogan
was immediately put out by the police, but the second
attempt was not interfered. The petition called on the
Chinese government to end the one-party tyranny in
mainland China, to bring justice to those responsible for
the bloody crackdown on unarmed civilians in June
1989, and release all dissidents.
In his speech to the businessmen and community
leaders, Hu said it was unavoidable that problems had
occurred with the implementation of the Basic Law. He
added Hong Kong's judicial system had remained
unchanged, referring indirectly to the recent overturn of
the Court of Final Appeal ruling on the right of abode
issue.
The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic
Democratic Movements in China will also hold a protest
at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition at 6:30
a.m. July 1, 1999 during which Hu will officiate at a flag
raising and monument unveiling ceremony.
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