Discontent with Chinese rule hits 21-month high in Hong Kong

Sep 29, 2009, 3:56 GMT

   Hong Kong - Discontent with Beijing rule has hit a 21-month high in Hong Kong just two days before China celebrates the 60th anniversary of Communist rule, according to a poll Tuesday.

   A higher percentage of people in the former British colony are unhappy with Beijing's handling of Hong Kong than at any time since January 2008, the monthly survey by the city's Chinese University found.

   In the poll, 16.6 per cent of respondents said they were unsatisfied with Beijing's handling of Hong Kong, the highest figures since January 2008 when dissatisfaction hit 21.6 per cent.

   The figure was 2.7 percentage points higher than in August. The number of people satisfied with Beijing rule was 32.5 per cent, 1.4 percentage points down on August, researchers announced.

   The fall in ratings for China's leaders follows a controversy which saw hundreds of people protest over the beating up of Hong Kong journalists sent to cover unrest in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang region, which is home to ethnic Uighur Muslims in early September.

   The TV journalists were detained and beaten by police after being accused of inciting rioters in the troubled city in western China. Beijing officials refused calls to condemn the police action.

   Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty in July 1997 under a 'one country, two systems' arrangement that allows free speech and limited political and judicial autonomy in the city of 7 million.

   October 1 is a public holiday in Hong Kong and all of China to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.