Crackdown on Hong Kong has frightening implications

April was not been a good month for democracy in China, and May is turning out to be worse.
Late last month, reneged on its commitment to allow for the first time a popular election of Hong Kong's chief executive. The election, scheduled for 2007, would have allowed the people of Hong Kong to choose the successor to Beijing's handpicked -- and unpopular -- chief executive.
Hong Kong was also told it would not have a fully democratic vote for the territory's legislature in 2008. Instead, the current system that effectively gives Beijing great sway in picking half the legislators will remain in place.
Reaction to dissent
The moves were seen as a reaction by Communist authorities in the central government to events of last July, when 500,000 people took to the streets in Hong Kong to protest a proposed national security law being pushed by the chief executive. The protest led to the bill being withdrawn. And in elections in November, pro-democracy parties soundly beat the pro-Beijing parties.
The Basic Law, part of the agreement leading up to the 1997 British hand-over of the territory to China, guaranteed a "high degree of autonomy" for Hong Kong, a commitment that Beijing now seems unwilling to keep.
Now, Beijing has added insult to injury.
Last week, Beijing warned the territory's legislature that it has no right to criticize the central government's decisions on democracy.
The state-run Xinhua news agency quoted a top official with China's liaison office in Hong Kong as saying local lawmakers would be acting unconstitutionally if they consider any motions that express "discontent with" or "condemn" China's ruling on democratic reform.
What was envisioned
Hong Kong, subject to British rule for a century, was supposed to emerge from the transitional phase of Chinese rule as a largely autonomous state. Free elections and free speech were supposed to be part of the package.
Beijing's heavy-handed attitude toward Hong Kong has international implications.
Beijing is not only reneging on commitments it made when Great Britain agreed to hand over Hong Kong, it is sending a message on its view of Taiwan. At a time when some Taiwanese leaders have been becoming more strident about their intention to remain independent, it might be expected that the mainland would want to demonstrate that it is amenable to a reconciliation that would recognize the democratic culture that now exists in Taiwan.
Instead, China continues, of course, to maintain that Taiwan is in no way and independent entity, and that when the time comes for China to exert its sovereignty over Taiwan, it will do so unconditionally.
It's a provocative posture and is bound to fuel the independence movement in Taiwan. When that movement becomes outspoken, China will have to react. It is as if China is spoiling for a fight.
The free world should take a strong and united diplomatic stand against China's Hong Kong crackdown now. Ignoring what's happening in Hong Kong and what might happen in Taiwan could have disastrous consequences.