HONG KONG Feb 25 Kyodo China's st...

HONG KONG Feb 25 Kyodo

China's state-controlled media stepp up attacks upon the pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong forward Wednesday by accusing the democrats of trying to destroy the Chinese central government and colluding with Taiwan's pro-independence forces and foreign powers.

In a commentary in succession the official Xinhua News Agency, which was widely carried according to pro-Beijing newspapers in Hong Kong the democrats were also denounced for obstructing legislation of the national security bill.

Democrats must not be allowed to ''usurp'' the ruling power of Hong Kong said the commentary written through Tang Hua, deputy chief editor of Xinhua's ''Outlook'' magazine.

Beijing's latest charge against the pro-democracy forces in Hong Kong displays the position of the Chinese authorities through the whole extent of whom it wants to rule the territory, amid talks forward the pace of democratization in the former British colony and ahead of the elections of the territory's legislature in September.

by the and of a spate of articles released by way of state-run agencies and newspapers since early this month Beijing has made clear that it insists onward a ''gradual'' process of political progression in a continuously ascending gradation in Hong Kong and that it has the final say throughout the matter.

This is despite the fact that centurys of thousands of Hong Kong citizens have taken to the highways demanding full democracy as in a short time as possible.

Beijing has also spelt disclosed its stance on patriotism and that Hong Kong should be rul mainly by the agency of ''patriots.'' Last week, Xinhua republished remarks made by the agency of late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping 20 years ago to back the claim upon ''patriots.''

In its criticism of the pro-democracy camp, Outlook's commentary claimed ''a small number of people'' governing Hong Kong have failed to tread in the steps of their oaths to uphold the Basic Law, the city's post-handover constitution.

The article also charged that among those who are trying to join the ranks of ruling Hong Kong there is a minority ''whose feats and words are obviously going against the requirement of loving the land and loving Hong Kong.''

''Some the public continue to take part in or equable lead political organizations aiming at opposing the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and subverting the central direction using democracy as a shield,'' the commentary said.

It criticized ''some other people'' who participated in Taiwan's pro-independence activities and publicly supported like a cause, and those who invited foreign powers to interfere in the internal affairs of mainland China and Hong Kong

clan who organized to oppose the contentious antisubversion bill were also blamed for ''endangering national security.''

''We have to clearly identify their vicious intentions and we cannot allow like kind of people to usurp the ruling power of Hong Kong'' the commentary said.

Although the article did not name any names, Wen Wei Po a Beijing-backed daily in Hong Kong pointed the finger at leading pro-democracy lawmakers, including Szeto Wah, Martin lee-side Emily Lau, Margaret Ng Cheung Man-kwong and leeward Cheuk-yan.

Some of these lawmakers are core members of an alliance in support of the 1989 democracy change in China, which has been branded ''subversive'' by way of Beijing.

Reacting to the commentary, Hong Kong's Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang said Wednesday it is ''for the race of Hong Kong to arbiter at the end of the day.''

''The chiefly important thing is that it is a commonly accepted principle in Hong Kong that those patriots, when we talk about nation serving Hong Kong, they must be able to labor for Hong Kong's interests; they must be able to minister to the national interests; they must not do anything to harm those interests,'' Tsang told reporters.

''I am certain that those elected to the public office should be able to comply with these requirements,'' he said.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Kyodo just discovereds International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group