When China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997 after 150 years of British rule, the "one country, two systems" formula for this special administrative region of China promised that Beijing would leave Hong Kong's free-wheeling capitalist way of life untouched for at least 50 years.
The Basic Law, the mini-constitution governing Hong Kong, looked forward to a fully democratic government, but did not set a date. At the moment, the chief executive is chosen by an indirectly elected committee of 800 people. The last time, though, Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, with Beijing's connivance, forestalled any election by getting the support of more than 400 committee members. Half of the 60-member legislative council is chosen by democratic vote, and the rest by "functional" constituencies of financial institutions, lawyers, social workers and others.
A majority of Hong Kong people want to see democracy quickly in this city-territory of 7 million, which ranks as one of the most prosperous economies in the world, with per capita income of about $25,000. So why not 2007, the next election for chief executive, and 2008, for legislative elections, for full democracy?