Hong Kong Government Bows to Pressure, Shelves "Anti-Subversion" Laws...for now

Posted to the IUF website 08-Sep-2003

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Hong Kong's independent trade unions and unions internationally have welcomed Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa's decision to scrap sweeping "anti-subversion" legislation which would have severely undermined democratic and trade union rights in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR). The draft legislation was actively opposed by the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU), with branch unions affiliated to the IUF, acting within the Civil Human Rights Front to coordinate mass action against the legislation.

The government has been under steady pressure from the mass movement to scrap the legislation. On July 1, over 500,000 Hong Kong citizens took part in the biggest demonstration since the suppression of the Chinese democracy movement in 1989. Tung Chee-hwa, who had previously insisted on retaining the government's original draft law, has now said that new legislation will not be introduced until more "consultation" takes place.

Elizabeth Tang of the HKCTU called the government retreat a "good move", but emphasized that "we will not lay back. Although he [Tung Chee-hwa] has dropped the original draft, we don't know what the new one will be like. The HKCTU will work hard to ensure the new draft is presented at an appropriate time, and that it takes into account the views and aspirations of the people of Hong Kong. It is unclear what procedures will be adopted, but we want it to be an open and fair consultation."