Dow Jones Newswires: UK Voices Concerns about HK Govt's Stance on Protests

HONG KONG (AP)--Five years after Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule, former colonial master Britain says things have gone relatively well - but U.K. officials acknowledged worries that the territory is becoming less tolerant of demonstrations.

In a twice-yearly report on Hong Kong's progress as part of China, received in Hong Kong Wednesday, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said "freedom of assembly and speech must not be compromised."

Hong Kong recently brought criminal charges against three activists for staging unauthorized protests, and the territory raised eyebrows when it refused to let a U.S. citizen, the former Chinese labour camp inmate Harry
Wu, visit here earlier in the year.

The British report said Hong Kong has the right to decide who comes in, but that barring outspoken activist Wu had "cast doubt" on the territory's "commitment to the free flow of ideas, freedom of association and ease of travel."

Hong Kong's government responded by saying that the right to protest is strong here, and thousands of demonstrations are staged, but order must be maintained. [..]

In another case that has alarmed rights activists, 16 followers of the Falun Gong meditation [group] are now being tried for allegedly creating a public obstruction when they peacefully protested outside the Chinese government liaison office here. [..]