- Title: Timeline of Hong Kong political movements
- Date: 16th August 2019
- Summary: Hong Kong residents headed to the polls in May 1998, where they voted in the city's first elections for its legislature under Chinese rule. Democrats celebrated a strong victory winning as many as 14 seats in the new 60-member Legislative Council, or LegCo. HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - MAY 24, 1998) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** TUNG CHEE-HWA, FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF HONG KONG, DROPPING BALLOT INTO BOX HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - MAY 25, 1998) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTION SIGN / INTERIOR OF CENTRAL COUNTING STATION TUNG EMPTYING BALLOT BOX ELECTORAL OFFICIALS COUNTING VOTES DEMOCRAT LAU CHIN-SHEK BEING CONGRATULATED BY SUPPORTERS AFTER WINNING SEAT SUPPORTERS CHEERING FOR DEMOCRATIC PARTY WIN Thousands of protesters took to the streets to denounce the city government's planned anti-subversion law on July 1, 2003. Brandishing banners, umbrellas and fans, many of the people dressed in black to mourn what they said was the demise of rights and freedom in one of the world's key financial centres. Critics of the law, commonly known in Hong Kong as 'Article 23' said it posed the biggest threat to basic rights in the former British colony. The bill was shortly shelved after the demonstration. HONG KONG, CHINA (FILE - JULY 1, 2003) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING AGAINST PLANNED ANTI-SUBVERSION LAW EFFIGIES OF SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AMONGST PROTESTERS PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (English): "TUNG RETIRE"
- Embargoed: 30th August 2019 12:37
- Keywords: extradition China Occupy protests handover one country Hong Kong two systems Umbrella
- Location: HONG KONG/SHENZHEN, GUANGDONG PROVINCE/BEIJING, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG/SHENZHEN, GUANGDONG PROVINCE/BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA002ASHI98L
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Ten weeks of confrontations between police and protesters have plunged Hong Kong into turmoil, and present the biggest popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he came to power in 2012.
The protests began as opposition to a now-suspended bill that would have allowed suspects to be extradited to mainland China and have swelled into wider calls for democracy.
Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 under a "one country, two systems" formula that promised wide-ranging freedoms denied to citizens in mainland China, but many in the city believe Beijing has been eroding those freedoms.
More mass demonstrations are expected through the weekend (August 17-18).
(Production: James Redmayne, Phyllis Xu, Travis Teo) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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