'Alliance fate will be sign of HK future'

A pro-democracy group, branded subversive by China, hopes to meet Mr Tung to discuss its future.

Cheung Man-kwong, legislator and standing committee member of the Hong Kong Alliance In Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China, said the group's fate would indicate whether people would have freedom of expression after the handover.

'The alliance is a legal body and is supported by Hong Kong people. Memorial activities [for the June 4 massacre] staged by the alliance are peaceful and legal.

'Whether the alliance will be allowed to exist after the handover will be a yardstick of how much freedom Hong Kong people can enjoy.' He said if the alliance was disbanded it would seek redress through the courts.

It agreed on Tuesday to seek a meeting with Mr Tung and seek his views on whether Article 23 of the Basic Law restricts people's right to expression.

Mr Tung's spokesman was not available to comment.