CNN新闻英语 2004-3-5 - 中国英语学习网

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- China has warned Washington against meddling in Hong Kong affairs as an outspoken democracy leader from the territory prepares to speak to a U.S. Senate hearing.

☆ meddle v.管闲事
senate n.参议院

Opposition politician Martin Lee is in Washington to speak to the U.S. Senate on Thursday about democracy in the former British colony.

☆ colony n.殖民地

But the meeting has irked Beijing, with the foreign ministry saying on its Web site (www.fmprc.gov.cn) that it opposes any attempts to interfere in China's internal affairs.

☆ irk vt.使厌倦

"China has enough wisdom to deal with the Hong Kong question according to the law and does not need external forces to make irresponsible remarks," Reuters quoted the ministry as saying.

☆ irresponsible remarks 不负责任的评论
Reuters n.(英国)路透社

The free-wheeling territory of 6.8 million people was given wide autonomy when it was handed over to China in 1997 under the "one country, two systems" formula.

☆ autonomy n.自治
one country, two systems 一国两治

Under its constitution, the Basic Law, the territory could theoretically enjoy full democracy in 2007, the year when unpopular Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa's term expires.

But the constitution also says Beijing has final say over any electoral changes.

All eyes have been watching where Beijing stands on key issues such as direct elections in 2007 and the interpretation of the Basic Law.

Amid signs that Beijing was clamping down on the city's freedoms, around half a million people rallied in July last year, and a smaller number this January, demanding political change in a city where the chief executive is handpicked by an election committee loyal to Beijing and less than half the legislature is directly elected.

In his annual policy speech in January, Tung skirted growing demands for democratic reform, disappointing activists in the territory who had hoped he would launch public consultations early this year.

Instead, Tung said any consultations on democracy would be with Beijing first, and said he would establish a task force to consult with Chinese leaders.

Lose control
China is set to begin its annual session of parliament on Friday, and Hong Kong is likely to be high on the agenda amid concerns that calls for more democracy in the territory will spill over to the mainland. Beijing is also worried it could lose control over the special administrative region.

In the past few months, Chinese President Hu Jintao's administration has played hardball with Hong Kong's pro-democracy activists, casting into doubt Beijing's commitment to reform and straining relations with Taiwan, the United States and the rest of the world. (Beijing jitters)

China has issued blunt reminders to the United States, asking Washington to stop interfering in its internal affairs. Locally, it has stressed that Hong Kong's ruling elite must consist of "patriotic" elements and labeled pro-democracy politicians such as Lee "unpatriotic."

For its part, the United States has been upfront about wanting more democracy in Hong Kong. In January, U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Washington supported electoral reform and universal suffrage in Hong Kong.

"Our belief is in democracy," Boucher said at the briefing in Washington. "The Hong Kong people and the Hong Kong government need to start addressing this issue."

Lee and his team will tell the U.S. Senate they are against independence but want universal suffrage in Hong Kong, Christine Loh of the independent think tank Civic Exchange said in a weekly email address.

China's bid to muffle rising calls for voting rights has dented confidence in the territory. Only 43 percent of 1,045 people interviewed in a poll conduced by the University of Hong Kong in February said they trusted Beijing, down from 50 percent at the end of December.

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