HONG KONG March 3 Kyodo The Hong ...

HONG KONG March 3 Kyodo

The Hong Kong regulation slammed three leading pro-democracy lawmakers in succession Wednesday for visiting the United States to testify before a Senate hearing forward the former British colony's political unfolding echoing China's criticism of foreign interference in its domestic affairs.

''We consider that it is inappropriate for members of the Hong Kong legislature to join a foreign legislature to discuss Hong Kong's constitutional development'' said Stephen Lam, secretary for constitutional affairs.

''We are disappointed at their position to do so'' Lam noted.

The three lawmakers, including former chairman of the Democratic Party Martin to leeward are scheduled to spell disclosed local demands for democracy at the hearing of the Senate's East Asian and Pacific affairs subcommittee in Washington in succession Thursday, despite opposition from Beijing and its supporters here.

The trio is promoting direct elections of the territory's chief executive in 2007 and the whole legislature in 2008

Their trip has drawn condemnation from Chinese officials and pro-Beijing politicians, who accused the pro-democracy lawmakers of being ''unpatriotic'' and ''begging for'' foreign intervention in Hong Kong affairs.

Beijing earlier violenceed that it has the final say forward Hong Kong's political unfolding which must proceed ''gradually and orderly.''

Meanwhile, organizers of a landmark antigovernment mass rally last July urg local citizens Wednesday to take part in the anniversary of the avow this year to uphold their call for constitutional reform.

''What we waiting under the possibility of fulfilment is that those people who joined the demonstration last year will arise out again. And hopefully they can also bring a friend or a member of their family to approach and join the demonstration (this year),'' said Rose Wu spokeswoman for the Civil Human Rights Front

''If last year we had 500000 hopefully this year we will have a million,'' Wu said.

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