By MARCO LUI
The Associated Press
Saturday, July 1, 2006; 8:03 AM
HONG KONG -- Thousands chanted slogans and marched through Hong Kong's streets in a pro-democracy protest Saturday, while a pro-Beijing parade also drew a big crowd to mark the ninth anniversary of the former British colony's return to Chinese rule.
Police said 28,000 people joined the pro-democracy event, while the organizers estimated that 58,000 attended. The protesters shouted, "Full democracy now!" and carried banners saying "Equality, justice, fight for democracy" as they strolled toward government headquarters.
The turnout was drastically lower than the half-million who marched in 2003 and 2004 to demand the right to choose the territory's leader and entire legislature. A smaller crowd was expected because the economy has been steadily improving and the city's new leader, Donald Tsang, is more popular than his predecessor.
Earlier Saturday, pro-Beijing groups held their own parade that attracted 40,000 people, police and organizers said. The event involved schools, civic groups, and entertainers such as Chinese lion dancers and children dressed in Chinese opera costumes. Hundreds of Chinese soldiers also took part for the first time.
The event was less political and more festive than the pro-democracy march, which mostly involved grass-roots groups and individuals.
Retiree Chen Man-kong, 77, said he has attended the pro-Beijing celebrations ever since the handover on July 1, 1997. "Hong Kong's economy is performing very well," he said. "There is no point to protest."
Hong Kong was promised broad autonomy when it was returned to China under a "one country, two systems" formula, but Beijing has ruled out full democracy for the territory for the next few years.
An 800-member election committee partial to Beijing chooses Hong Kong's leader, and only half of its 60 lawmakers are directly elected.
Many Hong Kongers believe the city is ready for a democratic reform, but Beijing loyalists, especially those in the business community, worry that political changes will create social upheaval and upset the economy.
One of the most prominent marchers in Saturday's rally was popular former official Anson Chan, who in recent weeks has repeatedly urged the public to take to the streets.
"The fact that the economy is looking up does not mean that people have stopped having demands for democracy. The two support and depend on each other," said Chan, an influential politician who was Hong Kong's No. 2 official before retiring in 2001.
March organizer Jo Lee said she believed Chan's celebrity status helped pull in many protesters.
"But the main cause is that people are really angry at the government's lack of progress in democratic reforms," she said.
Among the protesters was social worker Au Kit-lin, 48, who said she turned up to voice her demands for more democracy.
"It's precisely because Beijing rejected our demands that I have to come out and shout so they'll know what we want," said Au.
Retiree Wang Bei, 74, said, "The society is far from harmonious now. I must treasure my right to protest and fight for full voting rights."
The turnout for Saturday's march, which started at Victoria Park, was being closely watched by both the governments in Hong Kong and Beijing, which have stressed the importance of the city's stability and economic prosperity over political changes.
In a speech Saturday, Hong Kong leader Tsang highlighted the importance of economic growth and building a harmonious society. He did not mention political reform.
"As our economy gains momentum in its growth, we must grasp the opportunity to keep it in good shape so that we could live up to our country's expectations for Hong Kong," he told guests at a ceremony celebrating the territory's return to China nine years ago.
The ceremony was briefly disrupted when well-known, radical lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung yelled, "End (China's) one-party dictatorship!" just ahead of Tsang's speech. Leung was asked to leave before he could protest further.