News Digest

Hong Kong protesters and celebs draw attacks, threats from China

China’s media is ratcheting up the rhetoric against Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, saying protesters risk becoming foreign puppets, even as a poll showed the demonstrations have gained support in the city. In an editorial yesterday in the English-language daily Global Times, which is affiliated with the official People’s Daily newspaper, the paper linked the protests to other movements that China deems hostile to the Chinese Communist Party’s authority.

The external political situation concerning Occupy Central is increasingly clear cut. A mix of traditional forces that are confronting the current Chinese regime, including Tibetan, Xinjiang and Taiwan separatists, Falun Gong devotees, and pro-democracy activists, have beaten the drums for the Hong Kong protests like cheerleaders.”

A Global Times editorial

But a public opinion poll conducted between Oct. 8 and 15 by the Chinese University of Hong Kong showed 37.8 per cent of respondents aged 15 and older supporting the Occupy movement, with 35.5 per cent opposing. Much of the movement’s support comes from the young, with 62.1 per cent of respondents of 15 to 24 years of age backing the protests. Meanwhile, the powerful Youth League of China’s ruling Communist party has opened a poll on possible sanctions against Hong Kong celebrities who support the city’s pro-democracy demonstrators, including boycotts, bans and Internet censorship. Celebrities including actors Chow Yun Fat and Anthony Wong have reportedly praised the protesters, who are labelled as criminals by Beijing.