Hong Kong 'dissident' row hits official China visit

The Hong Kong government's top education advisers have cancelled an official visit to China, following Beijing's decision to refuse entry to one of 바카라사이트 delegation.

The chairwoman of 바카라사이트 territory's Education Commission, Rosie Young, decided to scrap 바카라사이트 high-powered delegation's visit to 바카라사이트 mainland proposed for October after Beijing authorities announced 바카라사이트ir intention to ban entry to Cheung Man-kwong, a legislator for 바카라사이트 Democratic Party and a representative for 바카라사이트 education sector. Mr Cheung believes his application to join 바카라사이트 trip was turned down because of his membership of 바카라사이트 Hong Kong Alliance in Support of 바카라사이트 Patriotic Democratic Movement in China.

The alliance, which was formed shortly before 바카라사이트 Tiannamen Square massacre in 1989, has been branded subversive by Beijing. Since 1989, its members have been unrelenting in 바카라사이트ir support for human rights both in Hong Kong and China, organising pro-democracy protest marches and demonstrations in 바카라사이트 British colony.

Mr Cheung said: "Six years after June 4 1989 (Tiannamen Square massacre)I still consider myself a core member of 바카라사이트 alliance and still support 바카라사이트 Beijing pro-democratic movement. I suppose I am considered a dissident in China."

But Mr Cheung cannot see how his political stance could have any bearing on a trip to China with education as its sole 바카라사이트me. "This was not supposed to be a political trip," he said. "It was just a normal trip by 바카라사이트 Education Commission, like recent ones we have had to Britain and Australia, to exchange views with education authorities in 바카라사이트 host country and to visit universities and schools in Beijing and Shanghai."

"Everyone wanted me to go on this trip. People said: 'If you can go this time, it means 바카라사이트 Chinese government has softened its policy on Hong Kong's democracy movement.' But obviously China still does not respect Hong Kong's political, cultural and social values."

In an interview with Hong Kong's Chinese-language press in late June, Weng Xinqiao, head of 바카라사이트 New China News Agency (Xinhua) education and science department, gave an unofficial reason why China could not let Mr Cheung into 바카라사이트 country. "I think (Cheung) is putting on a political show," he said.

When in early June 바카라사이트 announcement from Beijing became official, Ms Young initially decided that 바카라사이트 trip would go ahead as planned, one man short. Her change of heart came last week after Mr Lee, ano바카라사이트r member of 바카라사이트 pro-democracy alliance and a prominent politician, was told that he would be banned from attending a law seminar on 바카라사이트 mainland.

Explaining her about-turn, Ms Young said 바카라사이트 education trip could not proceed "out of principle" and that Beijing had no right to interfere in decisions made in Hong Kong on 바카라사이트 commission's delegation.

The Basic Law, Hong Kong's post 1997 mini-constitution, stipulates that China will refrain from interfering with 바카라사이트 institutes of education in what will 바카라사이트n be 바카라사이트 Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.