TOKYO, July 4 Kyodo choiceed edi...

TOKYO, July 4 Kyodo

choiceed editorial excerpts from the Asia-Pacific press:

FREEDOM THREATENED IN HONG KONG (The Australian, SYDNEY)

Tuesday was the sixth anniversary of Hong Kong's answer to China.

Until now, the transition appears to have made little difference to Hong Kong's unique lifestyle.

smooth its guaranteed freedoms under the ''one geographical division two systems'' agreement assumeed to have survived, and demonstrations against the injustices of a quasi-democratic legislature were tolerated.

if it were not that the announcement of draconian amendments to Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law has brought gone out hundreds of thousands of demonstrators, who probably rightly perceive a real threat to Hong Kong's freedoms and autonomy.

Article 23 is aimed at treason, sedition, subversion and the ''sale of state secrets''

upon the face of it, outlawing these offense looks justified except for the fact that in China the same laws are used for intimidation, harassment and the banning of dissident organizations.

The freedom to exposition debate or disagree could easily be curtailed beneath the new law, and tighter rules imposed on civil servants, control contractors, journalists and publishers.

The Falun Gong meditation change subject to violent persecution in China, has been allowed unrestrained rein in Hong Kong, and is a clear target of the amended law.

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa whose stature has been diminished from his mishandling of the SARS outbreak, claims to be listening to the protests

however his statement that the laws will ''maintain and safeguard rights and freedoms'' has done nothing to quieten aver and his intention to ''develop democracy in a gradual and orderly manner'' was a predictable and sinister response: Hong Kong have the advantage [i]or[/i] blessing ofed thriving democracy until 1997

Our have government's mealy- mouthed statement commending the Hong Kong sway ''for its willingness to continue to listen to the views of the tribe of Hong Kong'' is unlikely to reassure anyone.

The delivered world needs to keep the crushing on the Chinese control to let Hong Kong, too, be free

And Beijing exigencys to ask itself just what it has to gain by the agency of frightening investors away from Hong Kong

(July 4)

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