WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005
Encyclopedia
| WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 | |
| Nations participating | 148 |
| Events | -- |
| Opening ceremony | 13 December 2005 |
| Closing ceremony | 18 December 2005 |
| Officially opened by | Hong Kong SAR |
| Conference venue | HKCEC, Wan Chai Wan Chai Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called... , Hong Kong |
| Number of protesters | 10,000 |
| Number of NGOs | -- |
| Budget | HK$ Hong Kong dollar The Hong Kong dollar is the currency of the jurisdiction. It is the eighth most traded currency in the world. In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies... 250 million |
| Website | The Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference |
The Sixth Ministerial Conference
Ministerial Conference
The Ministerial Conference is the top decision making body of the World Trade Organization . There have been six Ministerial Conferences:*WTO Ministerial Conference of 1996*WTO Ministerial Conference of 1998*WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999...
of the World Trade Organization, also known as the WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Conference and abbreviated as MC6, was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
, Wan Chai
Wan Chai
Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called...
, Hong Kong from 13 to 18 December 2005. Representatives from 148 countries were expected to attend the event, as well as over 10,000 protesters led by the Hong Kong People’s Alliance on WTO and made up of largely South Korean farmers. Wan Chai Sports Ground
Wan Chai Sports Ground
Wan Chai Sports Ground is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, with the capacity 2,000. It is a government-run sports ground primarily used by local schools for sports day and other athletic activities...
and Wan Chai Cargo Handling Basin
Wan Chai Cargo Handling Basin
The Wan Chai Cargo Handling Basin is situated in Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. A prime site along Victoria Harbour, it is adjacent to the Wan Chai Sports Ground and located between the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club...
in Wan Chai North have been designated as protest zones. Victoria Park
Victoria Park, Hong Kong
Victoria Park is a public park in Hong Kong, named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. It is located in Causeway Bay, on the north of Hong Kong Island, between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau MTR stations...
served as the starting point for the rallies. Police wielded sticks, used gas grenades and shot rubber bullets at some of the protesters. They arrested 910 people, 14 were charged, but none were convicted.
Background
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
(WTO), meeting at least once every two years and providing political direction for the organization. The Hong Kong Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, which was held from 13 December to 18 December 2005, is the sixth ministerial conference (MC6) of the WTO. The 150 WTO member economies aimed to reach a preliminary agreement on liberalization of farm trade by reducing subsidies, and address other issues at the Hong Kong meeting, aiming for a successful conclusion of the Doha Round
Doha round
The Doha Development Round or Doha Development Agenda is the current trade-negotiation round of the World Trade Organization which commenced in November 2001. Its objective is to lower trade barriers around the world, which will help facilitate the increase of global trade...
in 2006.
Doha Development Agenda
The declaration of the "MC4 in Doha", named for the Qatari capital (DohaDoha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
) has provided the mandate for negotiations on a number of issues on agriculture, concerning the implementation of the agreements which had to be completed in 2000 originally. However, the declaration set 1 January 2005 as the deadline for completing all but two of the agreements.
The Doha round aims to cut trade barriers across a wide range of sectors and is supposed to address the needs of developing countries, for whom agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
is a particularly sensitive topic. Developing countries say farm trade needs to be tackled first because it is so important to their economies and because it is heavily protected in many rich countries. The 25-nation European Union, in particular, has been under fire for not making further cuts to its farm tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
s and subsidies
Subsidy
A subsidy is an assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more labor A subsidy (also...
. A series of meetings between ministers has failed to break the deadlock. The EU says equal attention needs to be paid to manufactured goods, which far outweigh agriculture's importance in global trade.
At the 2003 Ministerial Conference, it was expected all members would reach consensus on how to complete the remaining agreements. However, the meeting got stuck because of discord created by agricultural issues and ended in deadlock on Singapore issues. The original 1 January 2005 deadline was missed. After that, members aimed at finishing the negotiations by the end of 2006.
The shelved Doha development agenda was therefore carried over to the Hong Kong conference. That is why speculation on the chances of success of the MC6 had been rife in the months leading up to the conference in Hong Kong.
Agenda
- Market accessMarket accessMarket access for goods in the WTO means the conditions, tariff and non-tariff measures, agreed by members for the entry of specific goods into their markets. Tariff commitments for goods are set out in each member's schedules of concessions on goods. The schedules represent commitments not to...
: supporters of a new round demanded sharp reductions in tariffs on goods. - Domestic supportAgricultural subsidyAn agricultural subsidy is a governmental subsidy paid to farmers and agribusinesses to supplement their income, manage the supply of agricultural commodities, and influence the cost and supply of such commodities...
: demands for end of direct payments to farmers to produce their goods. - Export subsidies: European Union has promised to end its subsidies that depress international prices. However, no exact date has been provided so far.
- Services: push for lifting of restrictions on services sector.
- Singapore issuesSingapore issuesThe "Singapore issues" refers to four working groups set up during the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference of 1996 in Singapore. These groups are tasked with these issues: transparency in government procurement, trade facilitation , trade and investment, and trade and competition...
: demands from some rich nations for more transparent laws and better legal protection for trading companies. They include issues in investment, competition, government procurement, and trade facilitation.
Principles of the negotiations
- Single undertaking: Every item of the negotiation is part of a whole and indivisible package and cannot be agreed separately. In other words, Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.
- Participation: The negotiations are open to all WTO members and to observer governments negotiating or intending to negotiate membership. But decisions on the outcomes are only taken by members.
- Transparency: The negotiations have to be transparent.
- Special and differential treatment: The negotiations have to take fully into account the principle of special and differential treatment for developing and least-developed countries.
- Sustainable development: The Trade and Development and Trade Environment identify and debate developmental and environmental aspects of the negotiations to ensure that sustainable development is appropriately reflected.
- Subjects not negotiated: Elements of the work programme which do not involve negotiations are also accorded a high priority. The General Council reported on their progress to the Fifth Ministerial Conference in 2003.
The potential benefits of the success of the MC6
The WTO attempted to facilitate dialogue between developing and developed countries. It is a platform that member states from all over the world can gather to discuss issues that influence global trade and economic development such as General Agreement on Tariffs and TradeGeneral Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was negotiated during the UN Conference on Trade and Employment and was the outcome of the failure of negotiating governments to create the International Trade Organization . GATT was signed in 1947 and lasted until 1993, when it was replaced by the World...
, agricultural subsidies and equal access to technology.
The WTO has stated that it seeks to assist developing countries enhance their rural-based economies. It has been suggested that advanced technology could be provided by other countries. Developing countries are seeking easier access to foreign markets, especially those in the EU and North America. Moreover, they are seeking a larger quota of export and free tax for their products. In order to protect the interests of developing countries and recognise their needs, the term 'consider positively' may be extended to seven years as to eliminate any measures that are inconsistent with the overall goals of the WTO. Should these efforts have succeeded, the MC6 would have made substantial progress towards fulfilling its mandate.
The barriers faced by the MC6
Many groups of people are not happy with the WTO as they believe it symbolizes the exploitation of poor countries by the developed countries. Thus, there are many protests and demonstrations organised during each WTO conference. Casualties and damages are often severe. Besides, as the number of member countries in WTO is large, it is not easy to reach an agreement which gets the consensus of the participating countries. Therefore, the last two Ministerial Conferences which included the Ministerial meetings at Seattle and Cancún failed. It was not easy to tell if the MC6 could reach any final agreement.Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of NationsCommonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
is an association of 53 countries. Its 1.8 billion citizens, about 30 per cent of the world's population are drawn from a broad range of faiths, races, cultures and traditions.
In the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/HomePage.asp?NodeID=20593, on 25–27 November 2005, the group issued its Valletta Statement on Multilateral Trade http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Templates/System/LatestNews.asp?NodeID=147476 calling on "all developed countries to demonstrate the political courage and will to give more than they receive."
The Commonwealth has also acknowledged that "Agriculture is the most distorted sector of world trade" and has put renewed pressure on the European Union to commit to a time-table to reduce agricultural subsidies.
Africa
The main concern of Africa http://allafrica.com/stories/200512130811.html in the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization was to have the right of entry to the Northern markets for tropical products, and to defend African markets from profoundly subsidised exports dumped onto their market. On conjugal support, the proposal is for rich countries to cut down their support to home farmers and to slowly but surely phase it out. Africa was requesting cuts in subsidies for produces that are sent abroad and dumpedDumping
Dumping may refer to a subject......in computing:*Recording the contents of memory after application or operating system failure, or by operator request, in a core dump for use in subsequent problem analysis.*Recording a file or medium as a backup....
onto African markets.
Pre-conference predictions
Pascal Lamy
Pascal Lamy is the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, a French political advisor, a businessman, and a former European Commissioner for Trade...
show how far they are agreeing on critical issues.
The draft does reflect some progress made over 18 months on new anti-dumping rules and customs facilities improvement. However, the two subjects, reducing tariffs and subsidies on either agriculture or manufactured goods, have held up the negotiations.
Trade officials said unless progress has been made in negotiations in these two subjects, meaningful deal can hardly be reached in MC6.
France's Trade Minister, Christine Lagarde said there would not be consensus and there will not be major progress in Hong Kong in an interview with a Hong Kong local newspaper South China Morning Post
South China Morning Post
The South China Morning Post , together with its Sunday edition, the Sunday Morning Post, is an English-language Hong Kong newspaper, published by the SCMP Group with a circulation of 104,000....
.
Planning
A Steering Committee, chaired by the Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology (Commerce and Industry) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Miss Denise Yue, was set up in August 2004.Seven working groups under the Committee were established. Their tasks covered the following areas:
- accommodation
- conference facilities
- transport and airport reception
- security and accreditation
- media, publicity and community relations
- social programmes, commercial sponsorship and liaison support
- information & communications technology
to ensure the success of the event.
Venue
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
and its linking footbridges, Tamar site
Tamar site
Tamar site , 4.2-hectare large, the former location of the naval basin attached to the headquarters of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong, is currently the site of the Central Government Offices of the Hong Kong SAR Government at the harbourfront of Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.To the...
, Wan Chai ferry pier
Wan Chai Pier
The Wan Chai Pier , or Wan Chai Ferry Pier , is a pier at the coast of Wan Chai North on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. The pier is operated by Star Ferry, and provides ferry services to Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom. The pier is near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.-Transport...
, Convention Drive, Expo Drive and the podium adjacent to Grand Hyatt Hotel was set up. In terms of geographic coverage, the closed area was about one square kilometre. The closure was on a 24-hour a day basis from 6pm on 12 December to 5 a.m. on 19 December 2005.
An executive order was made by the Chief Executive under section 36 of the Public Order Ordinance (POO) (Cap. 245) to turn these places into a closed area. Under the order, the Commissioner of Police
Lee Ming-kwai
Lee Ming-kwai, Dick, GBS, QPM, CPM was the Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong from 2003 to 2007.-Biography:Lee attended The Chinese University of Hong Kong and joined the Royal Hong Kong Police Force on December 1972 as a Probationary Inspector.He served as an inspector in both uniform branches...
may grant permission to individuals to enter or leave the closed area. Holders of accreditation badges, including MC6 delegates, local and overseas journalists, representatives of non-governmental organisations, support staff, staff and tenants of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
were allowed to enter or leave the closed area during the closure period. Other people who needed to enter the closed area for justifiable reasons applied for permits from the police.
Security and emergency
A total of 9,000 officers from the Hong Kong Police ForceHong Kong Police Force
The Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers...
were on stand-by for the conference, which was one-third of the regular police force and the greatest number of all the activities the police force has ever been involved in. Officers underwent riot control and shield training. Some of them were sent to observe security arrangements for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim countries that seeks to promote free trade and economic cooperation throughout the Asia-Pacific region...
forum summit in Pusan, South Korea.
The Commissioner of Police, Dick Lee
Lee Ming-kwai
Lee Ming-kwai, Dick, GBS, QPM, CPM was the Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong from 2003 to 2007.-Biography:Lee attended The Chinese University of Hong Kong and joined the Royal Hong Kong Police Force on December 1972 as a Probationary Inspector.He served as an inspector in both uniform branches...
provided reassurances that weapons such as water cannon
Water cannon
A water cannon is a device that shoots a high-pressure stream of water. Typically, a water cannon can deliver a large volume of water, often over dozens of metres / hundreds of feet. They are used in firefighting and riot control. Most water cannon fall under the category of a fire...
s and plastic bullet
Plastic bullet
A plastic bullet or plastic baton round is a non-lethal projectile fired from a specialised gun. Although designed as a non-lethal weapon they have still caused several deaths. They are generally used for riot control...
s would not be used. Given the police's experience in dealing with previous riots, such as those involving Vietnamese refugees in the 1990s, Mr Lee said the Hong Kong Police Force should be able to handle any protests. In the unlikely event of an emergency which the police cannot handle, the Chief Executive had the power to seek help from the Hong Kong detachment of the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
(PLA). Provisions for this were in the Hong Kong Basic Law
Hong Kong Basic Law
The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, or simply Hong Kong Basic Law, serves as the constitutional document of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China...
. On 17 December, the Hong Kong Police Force used tear gas, pepper spray
Pepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
and fire hoses in order to suppress the demonstrators. Almost 1000 demonstrators have been detained.
The police force formed nine working groups responsible for different aspects in the conference, drawing manpower from all over the force.
The working groups included:
- logistics;
- traffic management;
- manpower and procurement;
- public relations;
- command and control;
- IT and communications;
- public order;
- security; and,
- tactics and training.
To stop protesters, fences around the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
were erected. French windows of shops, including McDonald's in Sun Hung Kai Centre, which is close to the Wan Chai Sports Ground
Wan Chai Sports Ground
Wan Chai Sports Ground is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, with the capacity 2,000. It is a government-run sports ground primarily used by local schools for sports day and other athletic activities...
protest zone, were surrounded by wire nettings. The Wan Chai Cargo Handling Basin
Wan Chai Cargo Handling Basin
The Wan Chai Cargo Handling Basin is situated in Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. A prime site along Victoria Harbour, it is adjacent to the Wan Chai Sports Ground and located between the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club...
in Wan Chai, which was also assigned as a protest zone, had fences surrounding the area. The ground of the Cargo Handling Basin was also levelled.
Drain covers outside Wanchai Tower
Wanchai Tower
Wanchai Tower , located in 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai North, Hong Kong, is home to the District Court and government offices. Its neighbouring buildings include Immigration Tower, Revenue Tower and Shui On Centre.-External links:...
were secured, and bricks on the ground in Wan Chai also glued together to prevent protesters from digging them up. Nets were placed around footbridges in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is a heavily built-up area of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, located on the Hong Kong Island, and covering parts of Wan Chai and Eastern districts. The Chinese name is also romanized as Tung Lo Wan as in Tung Lo Wan Road...
to prevent objects from being thrown onto the roads.
The seven commercial buildings around the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
, for the first time, formed a security network, under which their closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
systems were linked together during the period of the conference.
Considering the possibility of fire, the Fire Services Department increased the number of officers in the Harbour Road, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay fire stations. The Director of the Hong Kong Fire Services, Anthony Lam, said the current fire equipment of the department would be able to cope as the temperature of general indoor fires is much higher.
St. John Ambulance sent 1,200 people to provide medical aid support. The Auxiliary Medical Services
Auxiliary Medical Services
Auxiliary Medical Service is a well-trained, committed voluntary medical and health services provider in Hong Kong. Its mission is to supply effectively and efficiently regular services to maintain the health and well-being of people in Hong Kong....
stationed in areas near the Exhibition Centre during the conference.
Public transport
The areas around the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreHong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
were barricaded from 6pm on 12 December. At least 30 bus routes were diverted when roads to Admiralty
Admiralty, Hong Kong
Admiralty is the eastern extension of central business district of the Central on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. It is located on the eastern end of the Central and Western District, bordered by Wan Chai to the east and Victoria Harbour to the north. The name of Admiralty refers to the former...
and Wan Chai Ferry Pier
Wan Chai Pier
The Wan Chai Pier , or Wan Chai Ferry Pier , is a pier at the coast of Wan Chai North on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. The pier is operated by Star Ferry, and provides ferry services to Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom. The pier is near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.-Transport...
were blocked. There was suspension of the regular ferry services running between Wan Chai and Hung Hom
Hung Hom
Hung Hom is an area of Kowloon, in Hong Kong, administratively part of the Kowloon City District, with a portion west of the railway in the Yau Tsim Mong District. Hung Hom serves mainly residential purposes though is mixed with some industrial buildings in the north.-Geography:Hung Hom is located...
and between Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui , often abbreviated as TST, is an urbanized area in southern Kowloon, Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District. Tsim Sha Tsui East is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui...
.
The MTR
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
spent HK$10 million due to the WTO meeting and fares will not be deducted as what it was suggested from a legislative councilor. It will carry out measures including bypassing stations, temporarily closing entrance gates and changing exits as entrance or entrance as exits in Admiralty
Admiralty (MTR)
Admiralty station is an MTR station located on Hong Kong Island, in an area often referred to as Admiralty. The station's livery is dodger blue...
, Wan Chai
Wan Chai (MTR)
Wan Chai is a station on Island line of Hong Kong's MTR. It serves Wan Chai. The main MTR railway is beneath Hennessy Road in the district. Due to the large area of Wan Chai, more than 50 ticket gates and eight entrances have been set up. One of the exits lead to the footbridge along O'Brien Road,...
and Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay (MTR)
Causeway Bay is a station on MTR's Island line on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.It serves Causeway Bay and its vicinity.-Station layout:...
stations during the Conference.
To help divert road traffic from Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and the Cross-Harbour Tunnel
Cross-Harbour Tunnel
The Cross-Harbour Tunnel is the first tunnel in Hong Kong built underwater. It has become one of the most congested roads in Hong Kong and the world...
, the government reached an agreement with the two other tunnel operators, Western Harbour Crossing
Western Harbour Crossing
The Western Harbour Crossing is a dual 3-lane immersed tube tunnel in Hong Kong. It is the third tunnel to cross Victoria Harbour, linking the newly reclaimed land in West Kowloon with Sai Ying Pun on Hong Kong Island...
and Eastern Harbour Crossing
Eastern Harbour Crossing
The Eastern Harbour Crossing, abbreviated as "EHC" , is a tunnel in Hong Kong. It is a combined road and MTR rail link under Victoria Harbour between Quarry Bay in Hong Kong Island and Cha Kwo Ling in Kowloon.- History :...
, to offer toll discounts of 14% to 25% for private cars, taxi and goods vehicles between 13 December and 18 December 2005.
During the Conference there were 80 hotlines (Telephone No. 1834567) operated by the Transport Department for the public to achieve the updated transport condition.
Volunteers
The Special administrative region government recruited 488 volunteers through two organizations (Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and Agency for Volunteer Service) to serve guests in the airport, help with the accreditation application and carry out clerical work. Those volunteers include students, civil servants professionals such as lawyers and retired people.Contingency plans
Hong Kong seemed to have met its most chaotic week during the Conference. Most schools in Wan Chai and some schools in Causeway Bay and Happy ValleyHappy Valley, Hong Kong
Happy Valley is a mostly residential suburb of Hong Kong, located in the northern part of Hong Kong Island. Administratively, it is part of Wan Chai District....
were suspended during the Conference. All shops and firms in Wan Chai were forced to close early on the opening night due to fear of injury. Some people were stuck barricaded in their own office overnight because of late notification of evacuation. The highway that crosses through Wan Chai was barricaded, and much traffic was detoured. All public transportation, including the MTR, had to skip stopping at the stations of the affected areas. Through the news broadcast on television and radio, the Hong Kong Police Force advised people who were still in the streets near the affected areas to either immediately go home or stay in covered areas until after the demonstration congregation cleared up.
The Hong Kong Police Force suggested three criteria for shopkeepers in the affected areas for safety assessment. The criteria included business nature, geographical location, and international position (for instance, whether the shops belong to transnational corporations). The Wan Chai headquarters of the SPCA (HK), Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a non-profit animal welfare organization originally founded in England in 1824 to pass laws protecting carriage horses from abuse. SPCA groups are now found in many nations, where they campaign for animal welfare, assist in cruelty to animals...
(Hong Kong), was closed from 13 December - 18. Most animals were relocated to other centres. All glass windows and doors were pinned with wooden boards. http://www.spca.org.hk/Lists/Announcements/DispForm.htm?ID=439
Media
Around 3,000 journalists around the world were attracted by the MC6. The Radio Television Hong KongRadio Television Hong Kong
Radio Television Hong Kong is a public broadcasting organisation in Hong Kong that is operated as an independent department in the government under the Broadcasting Authority. RTHK operates seven radio channels, and produces television programmes that are then broadcast through local television...
has also been appointed as the official conference broadcaster of the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference to provide live TV coverage of public sessions. It will also provide facilities for recordings and simple editing by booking.
A Press Centre with infrastructure and technology http://www.wtomc6.gov.hk/eng/media/media.html will be provided service to members of the press. It will provide computer facilities for concurrent users through desktop workstations, LAN ports, modem ports, and wireless LAN access. In addition, easy access to printers, telephone, fax lines and photocopiers will also be offered.
During the proceeding of the conference, the anti-WTO demonstrations and the resulting confrontation with the Hong Kong Police Force consistently received wider coverage by the two local television statations (TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited
Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the second over-the-air commercial television station in Hong Kong. It commenced broadcasting on 19 November 1967...
and ATV
Asia Television Limited
Asia Television Limited is one of the two free-to-air television broadcasters in Hong Kong, the other being rival Television Broadcasts Limited . It launched in 1957 under the name Rediffusion Television as the first television station in Hong Kong...
) and the press than the progress of the conference itself.
Budget
The MC6 will cost the SAR government HK$250 million.The items in the budget include:
- Lease fee and fixing costs of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreHong Kong Convention and Exhibition CentreThe Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
: HK$37m - IT and communication facilities: HK$37m
- 47 new positions from the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference Coordination Office: HK$31m
- Transportation provided to participants in the meeting: HK$26m
- Membership fees for 50 most least developed members and payment to WTO secretariat: HK$23m
- Stationery including photocopy and fax machines: HK$22m
- Translation, promotion and temporary workers payment: HK$22m
- Security facilities: HK$22m
- Opening and closing ceremonies and feasts: HK$9m
Sponsorship
The Hong Kong government http://www.wtomc6.gov.hk/eng/spon/spon_sponsor.html was the major sponsor of the WTO MC6 conference, using public money to pay for TV, radio, newspaper and brochure ads. Apart from the government support, a total of HK$50 million of sponsorship from business sector has been another source of funding for the MC6. Fuji Xerox, a transnational company, will be the conference's sole printing service provider. The company is trying to move fast-copying machines, which can handle hundreds of pages per minute, from its Asia-Pacific regional offices to Hong Kong for temporary use. It is also said that 6 million sheets of paper, enough to cover 93 standard soccer pitches, may be consumed during the conference. BMW sponsored 280 cars http://english.people.com.cn/200511/30/eng20051130_224598.html for the country member representatives and WTO senior staff.The participation of NGOs
| Demonstration run-down | |
| 10 Dec | "Make Trade Fair Campaign" parade from Sogo Sogo Sogo Co., Ltd. is a department store chain that operates an extensive network of branches in Japan. It once owned stores in locations as diverse as Beijing in China, Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, Taipei in Taiwan, Jakarta, Medan, Bandung & Surabaya in Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Singapore,... in Causeway Bay to Wan Chai Cargo Handling Basin, organized by Oxfam Oxfam Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives... . |
| 11 Dec | "Cultural Events/Solidarity Night" in Victoria Park Victoria Park, Hong Kong Victoria Park is a public park in Hong Kong, named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. It is located in Causeway Bay, on the north of Hong Kong Island, between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau MTR stations... at 8pm, organized by Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO The Hong Kong People’s Alliance on WTO is a grassroots organization that aimed to protest at the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 which was held in Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai North on 13–18 December 2005.Representatives for 148 countries attended and HKPAOWTO aimed to... . |
| 12 Dec | "Global Ecumenical Women's Forum on Life-Promoting Trade" from 12–14 December in YMCA Youth Village, Wu Kai Sha, organized by Ecumenical Organizations in Hong Kong. "Why are we in Hong Kong, and why we are protesting? An assessment of 10 years of the WTO, what's at stake in the WTO negotiations, overview of the week ahead" in the morning in "Victoria Park", organized by OWINFS. |
| 13 Dec | "Official Inauguration of the Korean delegation" organized by Korean Delegation. "Fluvial Parade in Victoria Harbour" organized by KM, SEAFISH. |
| 16 Dec | "Women's March Against WTO" by Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO The Hong Kong People’s Alliance on WTO is a grassroots organization that aimed to protest at the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 which was held in Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai North on 13–18 December 2005.Representatives for 148 countries attended and HKPAOWTO aimed to... in Boys and Girls Club. |
| 17 Dec | Asian People's Caravan Journey Open Bus Top" by Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO The Hong Kong People’s Alliance on WTO is a grassroots organization that aimed to protest at the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 which was held in Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai North on 13–18 December 2005.Representatives for 148 countries attended and HKPAOWTO aimed to... from Victoria Park to Sham Shui Po Sham Shui Po Sham Shui Po, or Shamshuipo, is an area of Sham Shui Po District, Hong Kong, situated in the northwestern part of the Kowloon Peninsula, north of Tai Kok Tsui, east of Cheung Sha Wan and south of Shek Kip Mei. Sham Shui Po is known for its street market for electronic devices.-History:Sham Shui Po... . |
| 18 Dec | Parade organized by Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO |
The WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Conference was one of the largest international events ever held in Hong Kong. There were about 11,000 participants. Apart from the 148 WTO members, 1000 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will also took part in the meeting. The Korean Peasants League
Korean Peasants League
The Korean Peasants League is a NGO whose members are South Korean farmers.The KPL was involved in demonstrations in 2003 MC5 in Cancun, Mexico, and one farmer stabbed himself to death during the protest....
(KPL), whose members are South Korean farmers, were among the 1000 NGOs. The KPL was involved in demonstrations in 2003 MC5 in Cancún.
During the MC5, protesters were kept behind fences far away from the 5 Star Hotels where the delegates were meeting. This provoked confrontations with security forces and a KPL member, Lee Kyung Hae
Lee Kyung Hae
Lee Kyung Hae was a South Korean farmer and activist who opposed neo-liberal globalization and protested for the local farmers and fishermen of his home country whose jobs were threatened. He was also president of the Federation of Farmers and Fishermen of Korea.-Early life:Lee Kyung Hae was born...
, stabbed himself to death in protest. The KPL did not support this act. The group has provided assurance to the Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO
Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO
The Hong Kong People’s Alliance on WTO is a grassroots organization that aimed to protest at the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 which was held in Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai North on 13–18 December 2005.Representatives for 148 countries attended and HKPAOWTO aimed to...
that they will adhere to protest perimeters and refrain from drinking alcohol in public. The Hong Kong People's Alliance has also been accredited to join the meeting.
Participating parties
The Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTOHong Kong People's Alliance on WTO
The Hong Kong People’s Alliance on WTO is a grassroots organization that aimed to protest at the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 which was held in Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai North on 13–18 December 2005.Representatives for 148 countries attended and HKPAOWTO aimed to...
, the first group to be granted an approval from the Hong Kong Police Force, will stage three demonstrations on 11 December, 13 December and 18 December. It is estimated there will be approximately 7,000 - 10,000 protesters. The Alliance will send about 500 helpers to maintain the order.
Ten representatives from the Korean Peasants League
Korean Peasants League
The Korean Peasants League is a NGO whose members are South Korean farmers.The KPL was involved in demonstrations in 2003 MC5 in Cancun, Mexico, and one farmer stabbed himself to death during the protest....
and the Korean Women's Peasants Association, on an inspection trip to prepare for the arrival of the 2,000 Koreans during the conference, held the first press conference outside the Cultural Centre on 29 November 2005. They are dissatisfied with the fence erected at a demonstration site on Wan Chai's waterfront.
Elizabeth Tang Yin-ngor, chairwoman of the Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO said protesters wanted to see and be seen from the Convention and Exhibition Centre, where trade ministers will gather even while they are sitting. Lee Young-so, policy director of the Korean Peasants League urged the demonstration site to be changed back to the original and the Hong Kong Government should ensure that their voices can be heard clearly. The Police replied that the fence was a safety measure to prevent anyone falling into the water.
The Korean Peasants League, well known for their militant demonstrations, will be the largest group to protest during the MC6. It includes 2000 farmers and they claimed that they are only normal farmers and would follow the law.
Facilities offered for the NGOs
The facilities would be well catered for the NGOs unless there were sudden amendments.
13 December 2005
The WTO Conference commenced at around 3:00 p.m. Hong Kong time. The protests were largely peaceful throughout. The demonstrations started with around one hundred Koreans jumping into the Victoria HarbourVictoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
to try to swim to the Conference and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is one of the two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong, along with AsiaWorld-Expo. It is located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong Island. Built along the Victoria Harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial...
where the talks were being held. Police in boats prevented the Koreans from swimming to the Convention Centre, pulled them out of the water, provided them with emergency heat blankets, and brought them back to the central area. Then the activists approached the police force with a burning coffin, and conflicts broke out. In less than five minutes, the police began to use pepper spray
Pepper spray
Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...
to dispel the activists. Nine people were injured, including two police and Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...
councillor Leung Kwok Hung. The majority of protesters were peaceful, though, chanting slogans and playing instruments. A group invited into the talks protested during an opening speech. John Tsang
John Tsang
John Tsang Chun-wah , GBM, JP, is the current Financial Secretary of Hong Kong. His responsibility is to assist the Chief Executive of Hong Kong in overseeing policy formulation and implementation in financial, monetary, economic, trade and employment matters. He exercises control over the...
, Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology said that he was displeased that the protests had involved violence.
14 December 2005
Continually there was a slight skirmish between the protesters and the police, with the protesters taking fourteen of the police's plastic shields, but giving the shields back to them later. The police continued to dispel the protesters with pepper spray, while the protesters wore scarves, hats, goggles, and even plastic wrapPlastic wrap
Plastic wrap, cling film , cling wrap or food wrap, is a thin plastic film typically used for sealing food items in containers to keep them fresh over a longer period of time...
to defend against the spray. The police once used a shipping container
Intermodal container
An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
as roadblock, but removed that later. After about an hour of confrontation, confrontations between police and protesters diminished. The protesters cleaned up after themselves and took their refuse away with them. Later in the evening, the police commented on the day's protests, saying that the capture of police shields was nothing special and was expected. They also told reporters that they decided not to arrest any protesters because they believed any arrest would make the protesters angry and therefore cause the protesting to be more violent.
15 December 2005
Korean protesters carried out a "kowtowKowtow
Kowtow is the act of deep respect shown by kneeling and bowing so low as to have one's head touching the ground. An alternative Chinese term is ketou, however the meaning is somewhat altered: kòu originally meant "knock with reverence", whereas kē has the general meaning of "touch upon ".In Han...
procession". They shouted the slogan "Down Down WTO" and then kowtowed every three steps. They spent no less than three hours to reach the protest zones at Wan Chai, marching in such a way. Their knees were bandaged, their hands gloved, for protection. The procession has been an urban sight. Some Hong Kong youth were apparently moved to join the kowtow-marching.
16 December 2005
Korean protesters threw eggs at the Consulate General of the United States. Some protesters also had their hair shaved in front of the consulate as a symbol of their protest toward opening agricultural markets. See a picture taken by the Sun Daily17 December 2005
Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road is a thoroughfare on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It connects Yee Wo Street on the east in Causeway Bay, and Queensway on the western end in Wan Chai.The road is named after John Pope Hennessy, the Governor of Hong Kong between 1877 and 1882....
, one of the busiest road on Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
, making the entire Wan Chai closed off from traffic. Some of them attempted to overturn a police van but failed. They crossed Gloucester Road
Gloucester Road, Hong Kong
Gloucester Road is a major road in Hong Kong. It is in the north of Wan Chai and East Point on Hong Kong Island. It connects to Harcourt Road at its western end and it ends east along west side of Victoria Park. It forms part of Hong Kong's Route 4 and connects to the Island Eastern Corridor via...
, which there were still cars, and tried to reach the Convention Centre.
An escalation of the protests occurred that night. Demonstrators began clashing with police on Harbour Road in an attempt to force their way into the convention centre. The violence led to the closure of the MTR Wanchai Station and the diversion of traffic from the cross harbour tunnel
Cross-Harbour Tunnel
The Cross-Harbour Tunnel is the first tunnel in Hong Kong built underwater. It has become one of the most congested roads in Hong Kong and the world...
away from Wanchai. Police escalated the use of force and began using tear gas to repel protesters. The police were forced to advise Hong Kong residents not to enter the Wanchai area and to contact friends and relatives staying in the area and tell them to leave. Security forces have sealed the entrances to the convention centre in case the protesters breach police lines.
The Commissioner of Police, Lee Ming-kwai
Lee Ming-kwai
Lee Ming-kwai, Dick, GBS, QPM, CPM was the Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong from 2003 to 2007.-Biography:Lee attended The Chinese University of Hong Kong and joined the Royal Hong Kong Police Force on December 1972 as a Probationary Inspector.He served as an inspector in both uniform branches...
, described the protest as a "riot". He also announced that there were 137 protesters and 67 policemen hurt in the clash. 900 protesters, including 730 men and 180 women (the most important are the South Korean farmers and Long Hair
Long hair
Long hair is a hairstyle. Exactly what constitutes long hair can change from culture to culture, or even within cultures. For example, a woman with chin-length hair in some cultures may be said to have short hair, while a man with the same length of hair in some of the same cultures would be said...
), are still under detention on Gloucester Road
Gloucester Road, Hong Kong
Gloucester Road is a major road in Hong Kong. It is in the north of Wan Chai and East Point on Hong Kong Island. It connects to Harcourt Road at its western end and it ends east along west side of Victoria Park. It forms part of Hong Kong's Route 4 and connects to the Island Eastern Corridor via...
. He indicated that the protesters will be charged according to Hong Kong Law.
For a complete story of MC6 Resistance that happened on 17 December in Hong Kong and its vicinity, visit Target:WTO.
18 December 2005
Early in 11 am, some protesters gathered around Kwun TongKwun Tong
Kwun Tong is an area in Kwun Tong District, situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon Peninsula, and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock in the north to Lei Yue Mun in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowloon Peak in the east to the north coast of the former Kai Tak Airport runway in...
police station and protested for a fair and open judgement of the arrested protesters. At 1 p.m., the South Korean farmers came back to Victoria Park waiting for another protest. Around 2 p.m., all protesters were removed from Gloucester Road
Gloucester Road, Hong Kong
Gloucester Road is a major road in Hong Kong. It is in the north of Wan Chai and East Point on Hong Kong Island. It connects to Harcourt Road at its western end and it ends east along west side of Victoria Park. It forms part of Hong Kong's Route 4 and connects to the Island Eastern Corridor via...
, which was soon re-opened to public use.
At night, 188 protesters, mostly Korean female peasants, were released, but still many protesters were in Kwun Tong
Kwun Tong
Kwun Tong is an area in Kwun Tong District, situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon Peninsula, and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock in the north to Lei Yue Mun in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowloon Peak in the east to the north coast of the former Kai Tak Airport runway in...
police station and court. Meanwhile, other protesters, including a number of Hong Kong citizens, stayed at the cargo handling basin of Wan Chai until the end of the conference. Bishop Zen visited the protesters at 11 p.m. and openly criticised the action of the police as "the shame of Hong Kong" because he was not allowed to visit the Roman Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
detained by the police.
19 December 2005
Police have charged 14 men involved in the Wan Chai protests for unlawful assembly. They will appear at Kwun TongKwun Tong
Kwun Tong is an area in Kwun Tong District, situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon Peninsula, and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock in the north to Lei Yue Mun in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowloon Peak in the east to the north coast of the former Kai Tak Airport runway in...
Magistracy at 8pm today. (Throughout the trial, they could not afford accommodation in a hotel, and so were offered refuge in a church, the location of which remained obscure for privacy reasons.)
They include 11 Koreans, aged 31 to 46, a 29-year-old Japanese, a 22-year-old Taiwanese and a 41-year-old Chinese mainlander. They were among the 1,000 people arrested in connection with the violent protests on 17 December.
Following the release of 188 people yesterday, Police this afternoon released 839 Korean men and 105 people of assorted nationality.
22 December 2005
Korean foreign officers and Taiwan government officers have concerns over the outcome of the court decision pertaining the 14 men subject to the charges. It is said that further foreign relations would be followed up if the men are not released or sentenced harshly. A unfavourable court decision may make the political life of the Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald TsangDonald Tsang
Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, GBM, KBE is the current Chief Executive and President of the Executive Council of the Government of Hong Kong....
in risk after the political reform bills were voted down in the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...
.
9 January 2006
The 11 Korean protesters previously arrested, along with 300 other people including 3 Korean National AssemblyNational Assembly of South Korea
The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea is a 299-member unicameral legislature. The latest general elections were held on April 9, 2008. Single-member constituencies comprise 245 of the National Assembly's seats, while the remaining 54 are allocated by proportional representation...
members protested to demand their immediate release.
11 January 2006
Charges on 11 protesters were dropped. The Korean protesters Park In Hwan (朴仁煥) and Yun Il Kwon (尹一權) are still being charged with unlawful assembly whileYang Kyung Kyu (梁暻圭) had his charged changed to unauthorized assembly. They pleaded not guilty and are bailed for HK$30000 each.
The case number was FLCC185/2006.
13 January 2006
The 11 charged Koreans returned home. They apologized to businesses in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay for the disruptions during the conference. A few Hong Kongers went to the airport to farewell them.http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=9882&sid=6238683&con_type=1
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200601/200601130019.html
6 February 2006
In the pretrial review, the prosecutors didn't prepare adequately. They changed the evidence at the last minute from police videotapes to television footage. As a result, another pretrial review was to be held on 17 February.7 February 2006
The police reported that they fired 6 beanbags, 34 cans of teargas and 738 cans of pepper spray. 518 police members used sticks to beat up the protesters. They admitted they arrested too many people and that they didn't employ enough interpreters. Of the 910 people arrested, only 202 were allowed to meet with a lawyer.http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060208/gop1.htm
15 February 2006
Yang Kyung Kyu had the charge against him dropped because of insufficient evidence.2 March 2006
The trial began after pretrial reviews on 6 February and 17 February. The magistrate was Andrew Ma (馬漢璋).The evidence was something taped off from Cable TV
Cable TV Hong Kong
Cable TV Hong Kong , previously known as Wharf Cable before October 1998, is owned and operated by i-CABLE Communications Limited...
.
The accused said the government is trying to score political points by charging them. They and 30 other people protested outside the courthouse.
Park and Yun were unhappy about John Tsang
John Tsang
John Tsang Chun-wah , GBM, JP, is the current Financial Secretary of Hong Kong. His responsibility is to assist the Chief Executive of Hong Kong in overseeing policy formulation and implementation in financial, monetary, economic, trade and employment matters. He exercises control over the...
, who stated they were not really farmers. Park and Yun insisted that they are farmers. http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060303/gsa2.htm
The trial is expected to take 10 days. The prosecution will call between 10 and 23 witnesses. Yang was planning to come to HK with Park and Yun to support them but stayed in Korea to participate in a strike.
3 March 2006
The police admitted that because they took a long time to contain the crowd, the real protesters may have left the scene before all the people there were contained. Therefore, the police may have arrested the wrong people. http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060304/geb1.htm22 March 2006
The magistrate ruled that there's no case against Park. He was released immediately.A prosecution witness said that Yun had "a protruding jaw, relatively thick eyebrows and small eyes". The defence pointed out that Yun looked nothing like that. The magistrate agreed, adding that Yun is "young and handsome".
The defence also noted that the witnesses never mentioned Yun in the 4 statements they made, and questioned how they identified him 18 days after the alleged incident.
The defence chose not to defend or call witnesses. The verdict was scheduled to be delivered on 30 March. http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=14839&sid=7183886&con_type=1 http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060323/goj1.htm
30 March 2006
The charge against Yun was dropped. The magistrate pointed out that the police didn't employ Korean actors when carrying out the identity parade, they didn't provide evidence that shows Yun was actually at the scene and that since they rarely deal with foreign suspects, their testimony is questionable.Outside the courthouse, Yun thanked the people of Hong Kong again for their continued support.
Elizabeth Tang, chairperson of HKPAWTO
Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO
The Hong Kong People’s Alliance on WTO is a grassroots organization that aimed to protest at the WTO Ministerial Conference of 2005 which was held in Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai North on 13–18 December 2005.Representatives for 148 countries attended and HKPAOWTO aimed to...
, welcomed the decision and criticized the police for abusing power
Police brutality
Police brutality is the intentional use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially also in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation, by a police officer....
and wasting money.
Joseph Cardinal Zen
Joseph Cardinal Zen
Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, S.D.B. is a Chinese Cardinal of the Catholic Church, who served as the sixth Bishop of Hong Kong. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 2006, and is famous for his outspoken disposition on issues regarding human rights, political freedom, and religious liberty, often attracting...
, bishop of Hong Kong, blasted the police for ignoring human rights and disregarding the needs of the activists. But was blamed by the public for his inappropriate and irresponsible commends.
Additional links: http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060331/gba1.htm http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060331/gba2.htm http://www.mingpaonews.com/20060331/gba3.htm http://thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=15530&sid=7301092&con_type=3
Legacy
The Korean Government officially apologised for the inappropriate behaviour conducted by the Koreans in Hong Kong.HKSAR Government
WTO
- Past WTO Ministerial Conference
- The Doha Development Agenda: Negotiations, implementation and development
- Doha Development Agenda documents
- The Trade Negotiations Committee
Other governmental
- Congressional Research Service Report on Hong Kong Ministerial
- Government Accountability Office Report on Hong Kong Ministerial
Non-governmental organisations
- Hong Kong People’s Alliance on WTO: Chinese, English
- Indymedia Bay Area
- Target:WTO
- Stop The New Round Coalition
- OxfamOxfamOxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
's Make trade fair campaign. - Fair Trade Fair and Symposium
- No To WTO - Korean Farmers' Blog in English & Korean
- Focus on the Global South: detailed analysis of the WTO's Hong Kong agenda
- Global Trade Watch analysis of the Duty-Free, Quota-Free proposal from Hong Kong
- Asian American and U.S. Low-Wage Workers Delegation Against the WTO: Hong Kong 2005 - Delegation Blogs: SF Bay Area WT-No Delegation New York CAAAV Delegation Korean American Delegation. Member organizations include CJWP (ChinJurnWorPing), Chinese Progressive Association (CPA), National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR), KEEP (Korean Education and Exchange Program), MIWON (Migrant and Immigrant Worker Organizing Network), Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW), CommunitY Organizing Collective (CYOC), Organizing Asian Communities (CAAAV) and the Garment Workers Center (Los Angeles), a project of Sweatshop Watch.