HK chief sorry for democracy remarks

Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang apologized Saturday for a comment that too much democracy could lead to another Cultural Revolution, when gangs of youths were given free rein to persecute suspected government opponents in mainland China.

Tsang said he was withdrawing his remarks, which sparked an uproar among critics including pro-democracy lawmakers who questioned his willingness to fight for democracy in Hong Kong.

"I am very sorry that I made an inappropriate remark concerning the Cultural Revolution during a radio interview yesterday, and I wish to retract that remark," he said in a statement issued Saturday.

Tsang was criticized across the political spectrum for the comment, which made the headlines of most major newspapers in the former British territory.

"If you go to the extreme ... you have the Cultural Revolution," Tsang said on government-run RTHK radio. "For instance in China when people take everything into their hands, then you cannot govern the place."

When the program host pointed out that the Cultural Revolution was not an "extreme example of democracy," Tsang replied: "What is it? People taking power into their own hands. This is what it means by democracy, if you take it to full swing."

The Cultural Revolution implemented by Mao Zedong in 1966 was an ultra-radical 10-year upheaval in which millions of people suspected of opposing the communist government were persecuted.

Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, is governed under a "one country, two systems" formula designed to give Hong Kong people a wide degree of autonomy. Only half of its 60 legislators were elected, with the rest picked by special interest groups.

Tsang was picked by an 800-member committee loyal to China.

The territory has seen a number of large protests in recent years demanding the right to elect its leader and entire legislature. But Beijing has ruled out implementing those reforms before 2008.

In his radio appearance, Tsang was trying to elaborate on his annual policy address, which was criticized for lacking a timetable for establishing full democracy.