Economist.com Cities Guide: Hong Kong Briefing - November 2005

News this month

Not what we wanted

After months of relative calm, Hong Kong’s debate on democratic reform is reaching a climax. In October, the government's constitutional reform task-force released a draft plan proposing limited reforms: doubling the size of the committee that will elect the chief executive in 2007 to 1,600, and expanding the Legislative Council, the territory's pseudo-parliament, from 60 to 70 seats at the election in 2008. It did not, however, give a timetable for the direct election of the chief executive and other posts, one of the main demands from democrats. Compounding this oversight, a group of mainland legal experts wrote in early November that such a timetable would be illegal. Since then both sides—the executive (which has strong ties to Beijing) and the democrats—have hardened their stance. Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, Hong Kong’s outspoken Catholic bishop, has called for a referendum on the issue.

As tensions build, many worry about the conflict's impact on the city’s resurgent economy and its blossoming relations with the mainland. The issue may come to a head on December 4th, when a pro-democracy march is expected to attract tens of thousands of demonstrators.

Summit fears

Hong Kong’s record of peaceful mass demonstrations could be tested when it hosts the sixth ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) from December 13th to 18th. After violent protests at previous WTO meetings in Cancun (2003) and Seattle (1999), Hong Kong organisers are jittery. More than 500,000 people marched peacefully through the city centre in 2003, to protest against the local government. But with 10,000 demonstrators, including 1,000 militant Korean farmers, expected to arrive for the summit, organisers have been forced to rethink security.

The plan is to cordon off a large section of the city, and to have more police on duty than there were during the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997. Rocks and other potential weapons have been cleared away, and businesses near the meeting's venue, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, are moving to avoid disruption.

I-spy

A court will decide in November whether an order by Donald Tsang, Hong Kong’s chief executive, to allow clandestine surveillance breached the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution. Mr Tsang made the order in early August, after two district courts ruled that evidence obtained through covert means was inadmissible. The courts found the methods unconstitutional because they were not governed by any legislation, except in the case of phone-tapping.

The High Court challenge to Mr Tsang's order was initiated by Leung Kwok-hung, a veteran pro-democracy protestor, together with a fellow activist. They said the order violated the Basic Law because it did not outline the legal procedures for covert surveillance. They also accused Mr Tsang of riding roughshod over the judiciary and the legislative process. The Law Society and the Bar Association have voiced similar concerns. The challenge comes a month after the World Economic Forum raised fears about the independence of Hong Kong’s judiciary.

The BitTor bit

Hong Kong has a mixed reputation for upholding intellectual property rights. But the city’s copyright enforcement credentials received a boost recently with the world’s first conviction related to BitTorrent, a file-sharing application. Chan Nai-ming was sentenced to three months in prison for uploading movies to the internet using the software, even though he did not earn money from it. Mr Chan—or “Big Crook”, his internet name—had distributed three films by making “seed” files available to other users of the service.

The magistrate said the sentence would send a strong message to potential pirates. Indeed, the number of seed files posted from Hong Kong fell by 80% after Mr Chan’s arrest. Industry insiders welcomed the conviction, but noted that those who download the files have eluded criminal sanctions. The city’s Customs and Excise Department concentrates on people who provide the material for copying because they meet the “distribution” test necessary for a conviction.

Park life

In early November, more than 200 elderly people protested against government efforts to stop their musical performances in a New Territories park. Groups of locals in their 60s and 70s have been performing nightly in Tuen Mun Park for more than 20 years. With scarce public resources available to the city’s ageing population, the practice has been gaining popularity. But after complaints from nearby residents, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department vowed to end the sing-alongs. It sent officers to enforce an obscure 1960 law that outlaws the making of any noise in parks if it annoys other people. The ageing artistes claim they are merely exercising their right to free expression through song; some local residents said the noise made them want to jump off their building.

Catch if you can

November 2005

Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival

November 12th-27th 2005

This is sixth instalment of the region’s only festival dedicated to Jewish cinema. While Israeli films are heavily represented, the festival aims to give filmgoers a taste of the global Jewish experience. America, Norway, Australia and Argentina are among the 11 countries represented.

Highlights include the regional premiere of the critically acclaimed “Ushpizin”—a tale of two ultra-orthodox Jews whose faith is tested by two uninvited guests on the eve of a religious holiday. Then there is the Oscar-nominated “Europa Europa”, a stunning film about a Jewish boy who inadvertently finds himself recruited by the Hitler Youth. Most of the films will only be screened once, so booking is highly recommended.

Palace IFC cinemas, Podium Level 1, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St, Central (until November 13th). Cine-Art House, G/F, Sun Hung Kai Centre, 30 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai (November 13th-27th). Tickets from HK$75. See the website for details.

More from the Hong Kong cultural calendar