The Beijing-backed chief executive of Hong Kong invited the territory’s entire legislature to come with him to southern China next month, in what would be the largest visit of pro-democracy politicians from here that the Communist leadership in Beijing has ever allowed.
A few small groups of democracy advocates did visit Beijing from Hong Kong during a period of greater political openness on the mainland in the late 1980’s. But with very few exceptions, China has banned Hong Kong’s pro-democracy politicians from crossing the border since June 4, 1989, when many of them outspokenly denounced the Chinese Communist Party for the Tiananmen Square killings.
The decision to let democracy advocates into China again comes after years of quiet American pressure, and eight days before President Hu Jintao is scheduled to meet President Bush in Washington.
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