Hundreds protest costly railway project in Hong Kong
World
Hundreds protest costly railway project in Hong Kong
Hundreds of protestors in Hong Kong ringed the city's legislature on Friday as public frustration mounted over government attempts to bulldoze through a high speed railway, an issue that has also catalysed a fresh push for full democracy.A session over the railway is expected to go well into the night, with accusations of delaying tactics by the railway's opponents. The 66.9 billion Hong Kong dollar ($8.6 billion) high speed railway linking Hong Kong to the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou has been championed by officials as a vital infrastructure project that could bring upwards of HK$87 billion ($11.2 billion) in economic benefits over 50 years by vastly cutting travel times to Chinese cities. Public bitterness has grown, however, over the planned razing of a village and rural swathes to make way for the project, along with growing cost estimates that now make the rail link one of the most expensive in the world on a per kilometre basis. The project would reportedly sharply reduce travel times to the neighbouring Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Guangzhou, and the government argues Hong Kong will be marginalized if it is not connected to the inter-China rail link. The high speed link would reduce the current travelling time from Hong Kong to Guangzhou from two hours to 45 minutes and supporters say the faster travelling time would benefit the 660,000 Hong Kong residents who make the trip to mainland China at least once a week. Pro-democracy politicians are poised to resign en-masse from the city's legislature this month in frustration at what they say is too slow a pace in political reforms.I think the best move for the government is to suspend the funding because even if we can get through the funding today, it's actually meeting a wall of criticisms, said Albert Lai, the chairman of independent think tank, the Professional Commons. A coalition of groups, including villagers who will be displaced from their homes and opponents of the rail link say the government should consider cheaper alternatives. The rail link has also become a lightning rod for the venting of broader discontent at Hong Kong's lack of democracy and government accountability for major policies.If you look at the many different groups here from young people, from academics, from people in the cultural sectors and from affected residents and villagers. We know that Hong Kong's mood is changing, that no longer we are a so-called economic city. Hong Kong is fully aware that to stand up for our rights is the only way to safeguard our own future, said Lai. Riot police were set to remain on standby throughout the session amid concerns that a planned protest by activists could turn disorderly. Veteran activist Chu Hoi-Dick said that the younger generation were seeking ways to show their discontent with the government. The forces have accumulated since the Star Ferry protest and the young generation have seen the protest and feel this time they should come out and participate, said Chu, said Chu Hoi-dick, a young activist who opposed the demolition of Hong Kong's historic Star Ferry clock tower several years ago. A group of youngsters opposed to the railway continued their kowtow protest which they had sustained for 24 hours on Thursday.Over an hour's drive from Hong Kong's city centre, a banner has been slung up reading: Thousands of angry people support Choi Yuen Tsuen village.
