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 The former British colony has reinforced security after mass
protests crippled parts of the city late last year, presenting
China's ruling Communist Party with one of its biggest political
challenges in decades.
Hundreds of people converged outside government buildings as debate
began on a blueprint that would allow a direct vote for Hong Kong's
next leader in 2017, but only from pre-screened, pro-Beijing
candidates. Opponents say they want a genuinely democratic election
for the city's chief executive.
The Legislative Council issued an "amber alert" before the crucial
vote on the reform package, which is expected by Friday.
Hong Kong's 27 "pan-democrats", who hold a crucial one-third veto
bloc in the 70-seat Legislative Council, have vowed to oppose what
they call a "fake" democratic model. Three democrats who spoke early
during the debate reiterated that pledge.
If the reform proposal is passed unexpectedly, pro-democracy groups
have vowed to protest. By late afternoon just 13 lawmakers had
spoken.
"This morning I got a very long and well-written letter, which was
from a student. (They) hope I will support the proposal," democrat
Ronny Tong, who was close to tears, told reporters before the debate
began.
 "I cannot think of anyone in Hong Kong who is happy today. I have
been a legislator for 11 years, with an aim to fight for universal
suffrage. Today I will cast a negative vote for an incomplete and
unsatisfactory political reform proposal."
Last year's protests revealed sharp divisions between Hong Kongers,
and public opinion on the reforms remains split.
The final round of a rolling poll conducted by three Hong Kong
universities showed 47 percent of respondents backed the reform
proposal. Thirty-eight percent were against, while 15 percent were
undecided.
"CANNOT GO ON LIKE THIS"
Several hundred Beijing supporters easily outnumbered pro-democracy
protesters on Wednesday. Activist groups had said they expected
100,000 protesters to show up.
"The bill needs to go through. We have to support Hong Kong
stability. We cannot keep carrying on like this," said a 60-year-old
man surnamed Chan, who declined to give his first name.
"We have worked so hard all these years," said Chan, who was waving
a Chinese flag. Pro-Beijing supporters also played the Chinese
national anthem through loudspeakers.
Crowd numbers had dwindled by early afternoon as temperatures
hovered around 30 Celsius (86 Fahrenheit), while minor scuffles
broke out between rival camps who cursed and taunted each other.
One pro-democracy protester wearing a black T-shirt which read
"Reject Fake Suffrage", held a black-and-white banner that declared:
"Overthrow the Communist dictatorship".
Inside the legislature, democrats stood in a row with signs with
crosses on them as they pledged to vote down the plan.
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Tension has been running high, especially after 10 people were
arrested this week on suspicion of explosives offences. Six of them
appeared in court on Wednesday charged with conspiracy to cause an
explosion. The six were not asked to enter pleas.
A 29-year-old woman was let out on bail of HK$20,000 ($2,580). Five
men were remanded in custody.
STABILITY AND PROSPERITY
The ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily said in a
front-page commentary that the vote was fundamentally about ensuring
long-term prosperity and stability.
The proposed package, it added, was designed to be a broadly
representative one all sides could accept.
"Looking around the world, some countries' and regions' universal
suffrage systems are not in line with the actual situation on the
ground, causing social chaos, economic hardship and difficulties too
numerous to mention," the paper said.
Beijing has tried to lobby pro-democracy lawmakers to back the
blueprint.
Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption has also said
it was investigating allegations by an unidentified legislator that
he was offered a bribe to vote for the package.
Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 under a "one country, two
systems" formula that gives it a separate legal system and greater
freedoms than the party-ruled mainland - and the promise of
universal suffrage.
Thousands of activists blockaded major roads across Hong Kong for 79
days last year, defying tear gas and pepper spray, to press China to
honor that promise.
While flawed, the package is still the most progressive electoral
model ever offered by China's leaders in what might be a pilot for
other cities within mainland China, according to a source close to
Beijing's leadership.
If the plan is vetoed, Hong Kong's next leader will be selected as
before by a 1,200-member committee stacked with pro-Beijing
loyalists. Beijing would be unlikely to offer any fresh concessions
to Hong Kong anytime soon.
(Additional reporting by Viola Zhou, Yimou Lee, Farah Master,
Twinnie Siu and Venus Wu in Hong Kong and Ben Blanchard in Beijing;
Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and Alex Richardson)
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