State Department concerned over China's role in Hong Kong political reform

[Judi Lynn]

State Department concerned over China's role in Hong Kong political reforms

Saturday, April 3, 2004



(04-03) 01:32 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

China's stepped-up role in shaping electoral reform in Hong Kong has raised concern with the Bush administration over just how much political autonomy the Chinese government is giving its territory.

The concerns mentioned in the State Department's annual report on Hong Kong, released Friday, came as China's legislature opened a meeting to interpret provisions of Hong Kong's mini-constitution covering how leaders and legislators are chosen.

"We are seriously concerned that Beijing has decided to issue an interpretation of the Basic Law on this important issue before the Hong Kong people have fully aired the issues," State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said in a statement.

In response, the Hong Kong government said the United States "should not interfere."
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/04/03/national0432EST0435.DTL