Chinese 'assault' concerns spread

A senior pro-China figure in Hong Kong has said he will convey concerns about alleged¹ police brutality² against Hong Kong journalists to Beijing.

Convenor of the Executive Council Leung Chun-ying's promise echoed the concerns of several pro-China figures last week.

They were reacting to Chinese police treatment of three Hong Kong reporters who said they were punched, kicked and tied up.

Journalists led a march in Hong Kong demanding an apology （道歉）and investigation³.

Last week, several political figures known for defending China's policies expressed concern, and the pro-communist Ta Kung Pao newspaper carried an editorial decrying（责难） what it described as an attack on press freedom.

"The pro-Beijing camp knows that politically this looks terrible," FCC president Tom Mitchell said.

"I think that shows the real power of public opinion in Hong Kong - it can force the pro-Beijing parties and the Hong Kong government officials to say that this was wrong, a line has been crossed," he said.

About 700 protesters, including journalists, politicians and residents, marched on the Hong Kong office of the Chinese government carrying placards saying "reporting the news is not crime".

Xinjiang stress

The assaults - and a three-hour detention⁴ - took place during a protest in Urumqi in western China's Xinjiang province on 4 September.

At the time, thousands of Han Chinese were protesting over a spate⁵ of stabbings with syringes blamed on attackers from the region's Uighur Muslims.

Riot police used tear gas to quell⁶ the protests, which came amid heightened tensions between Han Chinese and Uighurs.

Footage（影片） of the rough treatment endured by the journalists shocked officials and the general public in Hong Kong, reports the BBC's Vaudine England.

Simmering ethnic7 tensions have erupted into violence in Urumqi

In a subsequent news conference, a senior Xinjiang official Hou Hanmin expressed regret for the journalists' treatment - but blamed them for stirring unrest.

She also accused the reporters - TVB senior reporter Lam Tsz-ho, his cameraman Lau Wing-chuen and Now TV cameraman Lam Chun-wai - of working without permits.

These comments further inflamed⁸ Hong Kong feelings. The journalists' bosses also clarified that the three did all carry proper permits.

'Over the line'

Sunday's protest was called by the Hong Kong Journalists' Association (HKJA) and the Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) and was backed by several news outlets⁹ in the city.

"This time the authorities are over the line," HKJA chairwoman Mak Yin-ting told the gathering¹⁰.

Democrat¹¹ politician Lee Cheuk-yan said he believed Chinese security services wanted to intimidate¹² the usually feisty Hong Kong press pack.

"I think they are starting to squeeze the Hong Kong press and to harass¹³ Hong Kong reporters so in the future they will be more worried about reporting inside China," he said.

Hong Kong is guaranteed press freedom under the international treaty which transferred the former British colony to Chinese sovereignty. (本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

5 spate   

n.泛滥，洪水，突然的一阵

参考例句：

• Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
• Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。

6 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

7 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

8 inflamed   

adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His comments have inflamed teachers all over the country. 他的评论激怒了全国教师。
• Her joints are severely inflamed. 她的关节严重发炎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

11 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

12 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

13 harass   

vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰

参考例句：

• Our mission is to harass the landing of the main Japaness expeditionary force.我们的任务是骚乱日本远征军主力的登陆。
• They received the order to harass the enemy's rear.他们接到骚扰敌人后方的命令。