AP: United Kingdom Voices Concerns about Hong Kong Government's Stance On Protests

HONG KONG (AP)--Five years after Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule, former colonial master Britain says things have gone relatively well - but U.K. officials acknowledged worries that the territory is becoming less tolerant of demonstrations.

In a twice-yearly report on Hong Kong's progress as part of China, received in Hong Kong Wednesday, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said "freedom of assembly and speech must not be compromised."

Hong Kong recently brought criminal charges against three activists for staging unauthorized protests, and the territory raised eyebrows when it refused to let a U.S. citizen, the former Chinese labour camp inmate Harry Wu, visit here earlier in the year.

The British report said Hong Kong has the right to decide who comes in, but that barring outspoken activist Wu had "cast doubt" on the territory's "commitment to the free flow of ideas, freedom of association and ease of travel."
Hong Kong's government responded by saying that the right to protest is strong here, and thousands of demonstrations are staged, but order must be maintained.

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In another case that has alarmed rights activists, 16 followers of Falun Gong [...] are now being tried for allegedly creating a public obstruction when they peacefully protested outside the Chinese government liaison office here.

Britain returned Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997. Since then, the territory has been governed under an arrangement dubbed "one country, two systems" that grants a great deal of local autonomy while leaving Beijing in charge of matters such as defence and foreign affairs.

The British report was given to Parliament in London Tuesday and released in Hong Kong by the British Consulate-General Wednesday.