UPSC Prelims 2004 Q39: Current Affairs – International Conflicts & Security
What was the reason for 5 lakh people of Hong Kong to make a demonstration around the
middle of 2003?
- (a) They were demanding tax relief
- (b) They were against the Hong Kong Government's plan to impose an internal security law
- (c) They were the members of Falun Gong group who were demanding religious freedom
- (d) They were demanding more direct elections in Hong Kong
Answer: (b) They were against the Hong Kong Government's plan to impose an internal security law
Explanation
Hong Kong mass protest of 2003
| Option | Reason |
|---|---|
| Against the internal security law | Yes — Article 23 national security bill, 1 July 2003, about 5 lakh people |
| Tax relief | No |
| Falun Gong members seeking religious freedom | No — not the main cause |
| More direct elections | A later demand, not this protest's reason |
About five lakh people marched in July 2003 against the Hong Kong government's plan to enact an internal security law under Article 23 of the Basic Law.
Answer: (b) They were against the Hong Kong Government's plan to impose an internal security law.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Tax relief was not the cause.
- (b) CORRECT. The march opposed the proposed security law.
- (c) Incorrect. Falun Gong was not the main cause.
- (d) Incorrect. Direct elections were a separate demand.
Key point
Hong Kong 2003: Article 23 bill withdrawn after the protest.
Remember
Hong Kong's 2003 march opposed the Article 23 security legislation.
Common mistakes
- Choosing direct elections, a recurring demand.
- Linking the march with the SARS outbreak.
- Mixing it with the 2014 Umbrella Movement.
Exam tip
Article 23 of the Basic Law: sedition, subversion, secession.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Hong Kong
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government — National Security (Legislative Provisions) Bill under Article 23 of the Basic Law (withdrawn September 2003)