Thousands demonstrate in Hong Kong

A total of 7,000 people took part in this year's May Day demos in Hong Kong, the only place (along with Macau) in China that international workers' day can be celebrated. This turnout is a sign of the economic crisis and radicalisation among workers and youth.

chinaworker.info reporters

Over 3,500 demonstrators joined the march organised by the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU), the newer trade union federation (founded after the 1989 Beijing massacre). CWI comrades and supporters marched with the HKCTU, where young women - many migrant workers - far outnumbered men, and the call for a minimum wage was the main focus.

Around 2,000 joined the demo of the HKFTU (Federation), the older, pro-Beijing and pro-government trade union centre. Even this more right-wing union demanded more measures to fight the crisis.

Smaller demonstrations took place earlier in the day by migrant groups, and around 300 marched with the League of Social Democrats. At the League's closing rally, Leung Kwok-Hung (Long Hair) made a fiery appeal attacking neo-liberalism. Vincent Kolo of the CWI was also invited to give a fraternal address.

Vincent drew loud applause when he said that today's stimulus policies are only for the rich. CWI comrades sold out of Shehui Zhuyi Zhe (Chinese socialist magazine), and sold 11 annual subscriptions for the magazine.

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In The Socialist 6 May 2009:

Visteon workers show: Action gets results