Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Territory votes for democracy Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 14:51:51 EST Message-ID: \SE A;WORLD \SS (WS) \HD Territory votes for democracy \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS \DT HONG KONG HONG KONG (AP) - Legislators voted yesterday to back Gov. Chris Patten's plans for increasing democracy in the territory before Britain turns it over to Beijing in 1997. The move was a major blow to China's Communist government, which fears that greater freedoms in the British colony will only raise the expectations of people on the mainland. Senior Communist Party officials criticized Mr. Patten's plans for weeks. But members of Hong Kong's Legislative Council voted 30-21 to offer "general support" for his reforms, which are intended to increase voter participation in 1995 legislative elections. The vote followed a six-hour debate pitting pro-democracy activists against pro-China lobbyists, who included Stephen Cheong, a businessman with vast investments in southern China. The vote illustrated the evolution of the Legislative Council from a forum for British colonial officials and conservative businessmen into a semilegitimate government body. Mr. Patten, who left yesterday for Canada, said one of his goals is increasing the powers of the 60-member legislative body. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM