'Slogans' to be outlawed

A Chinese official yesterday repeated Mr Qian's controversial remarks on limits of freedom.

Weng Xinqiao , Xinhua (the New China News Agency) Education and Technology Department head, said personal attacks or provoking opposition against the central Government and 'one country, two systems' policy would be banned.

Criticism 'according to facts' and calls for the resignation of people believed to be incapable would be permitted, Mr Weng said.

But slogans like 'Down with Deng, Li, Yang' - referring to Deng Xiaoping, Li Peng and Yang Shangkun - chanted by pro-democracy demonstrators, would be barred as they were 'more than criticism'.

Also yesterday, Preparatory Committee member Tam Yiu-chung said Special Administrative Region (SAR) immigration officials should have the power to decide whether dissidents could stay in Hong Kong.

However, a final decision should be made according to the Basic Law, which empowers the SAR to draft laws to prohibit subversion.