Word: basically
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...Legco, set for September, and that the democratic camp might end up dominating the legislature. Last month's messy presidential election in Taiwan?which, subject to a recount, gave victory to pro-independence incumbent Chen Shui-bian?probably didn't affect the timing of Beijing's tinkering with the Basic Law. But it undoubtedly reminded China's leaders of how troublesome they find democracy...
...China "interpreted" the Basic Law before? Yes, but in an utterly different circumstance. After the handover in 1997, thousands of mainlanders with a Hong Kong parent demanded the right of abode in Hong Kong. The territory's courts ruled in their favor. But the Hong Kong government asked Beijing to reinterpret the law to prevent the migrations, which it did. In that case, Hong Kong surrendered its judicial autonomy to China; Beijing merely obliged. Legal experts and libertarians were appalled but not the general public, because most Hong Kongers don't want to see more mainlanders coming to the territory...
...what will Beijing say about direct elections? Hong Kong got an early telegraphing from its own government, which last week announced its conclusions from a three-month study of the issue. The good news for democracy advocates was that the government agrees that the Basic Law allows direct elections as early as 2007, which was uncertain from the way the document is worded...
...What does this mean for one country, two systems? The Basic Law is the foundation for that experiment; an "interpretation" demonstrates that Beijing has no hesitation in rejigging the rules. Says Martin Lee, founder of the Democratic Party in Hong Kong: "They want to say, 'Now you know who the boss is: Beijing. We know you don't like us, but we will do it anyway and you can't do anything.' They want to show Hong Kong people that their system is dominant and ours subservient. Democracy is out for the foreseeable future...
...could write their delegates to the National People's Congress. (Hong Kong has 36.) In contrast with the rest of the nation, Hong Kong people can vote for like-minded legislators in the few elections already allowed, march in the streets, even burn effigies of Chinese leaders. Under the Basic Law and the territory's own statutes?in other words, thanks to the "one country, two systems" formula?those are their rights. Until, that is, someone in Beijing decides to do some more "interpretation...