Academic leaders promise to renew support for universal suffrage in 2007
Hong Kong University's student union will lead a delegation to Beijing today, in the first formal visit since the crackdown on the student-led pro-democracy movement 15 years ago.
The move comes after a senior Chinese official yesterday raised serious doubts over the planned July 1 march and accused democrats of stirring up 'people power' to pressure the central government.
Student leaders last night said they would renew support for universal suffrage in 2007 when they meet officials from the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office and the National People's Congress Standing Committee.
The 11-member delegation was invited by the All-China Students' Federation and the visit was organised by the Central Government Liaison Office.
Union vice-president Allen Fung Ying-lun said the federation had extended invitations in previous years but they were all snubbed by student leaders.
'We decided to go, after Beijing directly interfered with our constitutional review in April. We ought to express our views to the central authorities directly,' he said.
