ABSTRACT
In the post-handover years, Beijing’s leaders’ response to the recurring quest for democracy in Hong Kong has been overshadowed by their concern to maintain state authority over the territory. It is therefore essential to reveal the underlying reasons for such anxiety before the trajectory of Hong Kong’s democratic development can be plotted. Essentially, democracy in Hong Kong presents two challenges to central leaders: the first is the possibility of channelling anti-communist force overseas to the mainland, and the second is the concern over the repercussions that democracy in Hong Kong might create in neighbouring provinces and cities on the mainland. The mass rally of July 2003 seemed to reinforce such doubts and fears. Not a few mainland officials responsible for formulating Hong Kong policies revealed their growing distrust of pro-democracy forces in Hong Kong, and were prepared to resist models that might effectively halt the political momentum calling for direct elections for the office of Chief Executive and for the legislature.
