7/02/2004 07:56:17 AM|||Nathan Moore|||

In an effort to stymie the Hong Kong democratic movement, Chinese authorities have turned to the condoscending.

Apparently, the touring of Buddha's finger, considered a religious relic, was supposed to calm the move for democracy in the formerly free province of currently communist China.

Here's this from the Zhang Qiyue, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry

Hong Kong's political system gives its citizens "real and unprecedented democracy."

to be contrasted with this

Worried about the march, China ruled in April that Hong Kong citizens cannot directly choose their next leader in 2007 or all lawmakers in 2008.

Reconcile.

|||108877330880240412|||You Want Democracy, You Get the Finger