20TH ANNIVERSARY OF HONG KONG HANDOVER, INAUGURATION AND PROTEST|香港移交20年 習重申一國兩制 港人上街抗議

July 1 marks the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China from the U.K. As a tradition, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government sponsored a flag raising ceremony. Chinese President Xi Jin-ping presided over the sworn-in ceremony for the new Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam. On the same day, scuffles broke out between pro-democracy and pro-Beijing groups over their different political stances. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was joined with other two thousand four hundred people for a flag raising ceremony at the Golden Bauhinia Square. All participants entered with invitations and credentials, no umbrella is allowed. At several blocks away, a group of pro-democracy demonstrators were carrying a paper coffin and scuffled with pro-Beijing groups. Activists Joshua Wong and Leung Kwok-hung were taken away by police but released shortly after the arrival at police station. ==JOSHUA WONG Pro-democracy activist== It is just suppression to Hong Kong and to approve that 'one country and two system ' is 'one country one and half system'. And we recognize that it was an unlawful detention for detaining us for more than 36 hours, which just have to prove that Hong Kong is still far away from democracy and autonomy. Chinese President Xi Jin-ping presided at Lam's sworn-in ceremony and delivered his speech. President Xi said, "one country, two systems" has new developments and issues emerged regarding its application. Hong Kong needs to precisely uphold the system and maintain national sovereignty and unification. ==XI JIN-PING Chinese President== In the next five years, I hope that Hong Kong SAR Government will unite people of all sectors to fully implement the principle of "one country, two systems." Stay committed to the basis of "one country," well leverage the benefits of "two systems," and pay efforts to ensure success of every work. President Xi departed for Beijing at 1:30pm, and tens of thousands gathered at Victoria Park for an annual march calling for democracy. Various groups were holding slogans and portrait of Liu Xiaobo. About 50 pro-Beijing people gathered at Causeway Bay and voiced their anti-independence stance for Hong Kong. TRANSLATED BY: ANTHONY LIN 今天，是香港「主權回歸」二十週年的日子，依照慣例，港府在一大早，就舉行盛大的「升旗典禮」，和新任「特區政府首長」的「宣誓儀式」。而中國、國家主席、習近平，也重申「施行一國兩制的決心」和「維護國家主權和安全」的立場。不過上午，民主派人士，在距離會場，幾條街外的地區「抬棺」遊行，和一群黑衣人爆發衝突。 香港特區行政首長林鄭月娥率領兩千四百人，在灣仔金紫荊廣場舉行升旗典禮。和往年一樣典禮沒有公眾觀禮區，所有人必須持有邀請函及證件才能入場，雨傘被列為禁止物品。 不到一公里幾條街外的大馬路上，則有一群民主派人士在會展中心外圍抬棺遊行，遭到身份不明的男子攻擊，親北京的示威群眾則企圖擋下遊行，過程中黃之鋒、梁國雄等人遭警方帶離現場，但在抵達警局後隨及被釋放。民主派陣營指控有三合會的黑道份子，刻意阻撓他們的活動。 ==泛民人士 黃之鋒== 遭親中國幫派份子與群眾攻擊的時候 我們看到警方毫無作為 讓那些幫派舉著旗幟干擾我們 而在升旗典禮之後，中國國家主席習近平現身新任特區首長的宣誓儀式，並發表演說。習近平表示「當前一國兩制在香港的實踐，的確遇到一些新情況、新問題。要準確把握一國和兩制的關系，一國兩制的提出是為了實現和維護國家統一。」 ==中國國家主席 習近平== 未來五年希望特别行政區政府 廣泛團結社會各界 全面準確貫徹一國兩制方針 堅守一國之本 善用兩制之利 紮紮實實做好各項工作 習近平在下午一點半依循往例搭機返回北京，下午維多利亞公園草坪開始聚集七一大遊行的民眾，各個不同的團體舉著各式標語牌，以及大大的劉曉波畫像，三點半開始步行到金鐘的政府總部。而親北京的團體「同心護港」，一群大約五十人聚集在銅鑼灣街頭，進行愛國愛港反港獨的活動。 王蕙文 報導