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Veteran pro-China businessman Henry Fok Ying-tung warned yesterday that people 'who act in the name of democracy . . . will not stand the test of time'.

In one of the fiercest attacks for some time on local democrats, Mr Fok urged the Special Administrative Region government to be alert to the destructive effect on unity of their protests.

'Those who claim the name of democracy in making malicious attacks against the future SAR government and sabotaging other people's interests will not stand the test of time, no matter how righteous they pretend to be,' said the vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

'They are attempting to beautify their actions by claiming them part of the fight for democracy and human rights.

'We have to keep a cool head. The SAR should not accept the whole colonial system absolutely.

'Time is a fair judge. Time will make people know how to differentiate between what is right or wrong and true or false.' Addressing Guangdong deputies at the National People's Congress, Mr Fok said there had to be principles for uniting Hong Kong people.

'We must . . . distinguish between right and wrong, but also be reasonable and flexible,' he said.

'We shall allow some people to challenge and reject, for a short while, the policies of the SAR. This is normal. But one cannot mix black and white as well as turn the truth upside down.' Mr Fok's comments were echoed by local Xinhua (the New China News Agency) director Zhou Nan ZN, who claimed the influence of the democratic camp in Hong Kong was declining.

Speaking in Beijing, he said: 'The impact of a very small group of people who advocate political slogans to disturb people's minds has been shrinking.' Local democrats last night claimed it was China that was attempting to divide Hong Kong by casting out those with dissenting views.

Democratic Party legislator Cheung Man-kwong said: 'A Hong Kong which is truly governed by Hong Kong people should respect the views of the people and show respect for individuals' rights.' Rather than trying to blacken Hong Kong's image, the Democratic Party was merely criticising things that were wrong, he said, such as the decision to repeal local rights laws and the establishment of the provisional legislature.

By reviving the system of government appointees, scrapped by Governor Chris Patten's political reforms, China was also attempting to bring Hong Kong back in a colonial era, he added.

Fellow Democrat Tsang Kin-shing said their protests were merely a response to China's 'abrupt suppression of Hong Kong democracy'.



Tycoon Fok takes swipe at democrats