THE extent of public animosity towards the Beijing-nominated Preliminary Working Committee's negative position on the Bill of Rights seems to have exceeded the calculation of the hawks in the Chinese camp.
After a meeting in Beijing last week, the PWC legal sub-group recommended to nullify six laws revised in accordance with the human rights ordinance. The move triggered a rare uniformity in views among the local mainstream news media which condemned the committee.
Even sub-group member, unionist Tam Yiu-chung, sought to distance himself from the unpopular proposition. Another PWC member from the pro-China Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, Tsang Yok-sing, also denounced as unacceptable the amendments in their original form.
Zhang Junsheng, vice-director of the Hong Kong branch of Xinhua (the New China News Agency), threw his weight behind the group's position maintaining its decision was both 'reasonable and legal'.
Two days later, he back-pedalled adding his remarks only referred to the sub-group's proceedings, rather than the content of its recommendation. In a session with the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood on Tuesday, Mr Zhang pledged to arrange for the sub-group members to explain their case in Hong Kong. Three mainland legal experts on the panel will arrive today.
In a friendly gesture, he even broke a Xinhua tradition of secrecy by allowing a photo call for the media before their closed-door meeting.
