Published by: World Tibet Network News, Sunday, October 20, 1996

(UPDATES with demonstration)

HONG KONG, Oct 20 (AFP) - Several hundred pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong held a protest demonstration Sunday, demanding freedom for top Chinese dissident Wang Dan, currently facing subversion charges.

The activists of the Hong Kong Alliance in support of Patriotic Movements in China marched from near the British-ruled territory's legislature to the office of Xinhua news agency, China's de-facto mission here.

"We are enraged at the intended prosecution of Wang Dan on the subersion charge and so would like to express our anger and concern," alliance spokesman Lee Cheuk-yan said.

He said 800 people took part in the march.

They pasted a letter demanding the release of Wang, Wei Jingsheng and other Chinese dissidents at the door of Xinhua, whose officials rarely receive petitions in person.

Earlier Sunday, a senior Hong Kong politician whose views lean towards Beijing challenged the Chinese government to come up with proof that Wang was guilty of subversion.

Allen Lee, chairman of the Liberal Party, a pro-business party critical of the democracy reforms of Governor Chris Patten, said China's recent actions against prominent dissidents had had a negative impact on public opinion in Hong Kong.

"The escape of Wang Xizhe and the arrests of Wang Dan and Liu Xiaobo certainly influence Hong Kong people's thinking," Lee told the government-run radio station RTHK.

"Were these dissidents only critical of the Chinese leaders or did they collaborate ... with a view to overturning the Chinese government? Are their activities subversive?"

He added: "Mr. Deng Xiaoping said that the Communist Party is not fearful of criticism. Therefore I call on the Chinese government to provide evidence of subversion."

Charges, including acts of subversion and "counter-revolution," were filed against Wang Dan, a student leader in the 1989 pro-democracy movement, on October 7. His trial is believed to be imminent.

Wang Xizhe fled China through Hong Kong on October 12, and then flew to the United States.

He was co-author, with Liu Xiaobo, of a letter that attacked President Jiang Zemin and called for self-determination for Tibet. Liu was sentenced to a three-year term in a labour camp earlier this month.