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Democracy battle: Beijing set to dismay Hong Kong

By WTOP Staff

KELVIN CHAN
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s simmering summer of discontent gets even hotter Sunday when Beijing is expected to recommend restricting the first direct elections for the Chinese-controlled financial hub’s leader, stepping up chances of a showdown with democracy groups.

The former British colony, which was handed back to China in 1997, has been the scene of escalating tension for the past year after activists threatened a mass sit-in paralyzing the financial district if Beijing rules out genuine democratic reforms.

While both sides agree that residents should be allowed to elect the territory’s leader, known as the chief executive, starting in 2017, they’re deadlocked over how to choose candidates. The pro-democracy contingent wants the public to be able to nominate people freely, but communist leaders in Beijing refuse, insisting that an elite body must vet candidates who above all must be patriotic to China.

That resembles the current system to pick the leader using a 1,200-member panel stacked with mostly pro-Beijing elites.

China’s legislature is expected to address the issue directly for the first time Sunday by issuing guidelines that are expected to hew to that stance. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in Beijing will recommend that voters choose from up to three candidates named by a similar nominating body while the public gets no say, Hong Kong newspapers reported this week.

Democracy activists are threatening to fight back, with the major Occupy Central movement pledging waves of protest that could culminate in a last-ditch rally with least 10,000 demonstrators blocking streets in Central, the financial district and symbolic heart of the city. Student leaders are also considering a walkout of university classes next month if Beijing doesn’t agree to its demand to allow the public to nominate candidates.

“There will be no more daydreaming” after Sunday’s decision, said Alex Chow, secretary general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students. “The hard fact is that they will not give true democratic reform to Hong Kong.”

After China regained control of Hong Kong, it agreed to let it maintain a high degree of control over its own affairs under the principle of “one country, two systems.” That’s allowed the territory to carry on with its own legal and financial system and civil liberties such as freedom of speech.

But the restrictions on candidates appear to reflect President Xi Jinping’s concerns that a genuine election could erode party control over the territory that it exercises through loyal political and business elites. Since taking office 18 months ago, Xi has overseen a notable chilling of the mainland’s political atmosphere as he bolsters his personal power and eliminates potential challenges to Communist Party rule.

“Xi seems comfortable about Hong Kong only when the current rule-through-the-elite approach works,” said Yu Maochun, an expert on Chinese politics at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Yu said the crisis is only likely to worsen since the deeply conservative Xi lacks the foresight and imagination to find a compromise with the pro-democracy camp.

The battle over electoral reforms has divided the city, with business groups and tycoons warning that Occupy Central’s protest threatens to destabilize the city while many young people upset over widening inequality have backed the democracy activists. Desire for genuine democratic reform is also fuelled by the deep unpopularity of current leader Leung Chun-ying.

Restrictions on the territory’s first direct elections are needed to protect the interests of the billionaire tycoons that control big chunks of Hong Kong’s economy, in order to safeguard its position as a capitalist hub, said Wang Zhenmin, a Chinese legal scholar and member of a committee overseeing Hong Kong’s mini-constitution.

Hong Kongers should therefore accept incremental progress, he argued in a speech Thursday.

“Less perfect universal suffrage is better than no universal suffrage,” Wang said “Leave some room for future growth.”

Hong Kong and Beijing officials as well as state media have warned the Occupy Central leaders that their actions would be illegal.

“If these activities pose a shocking threat to Hong Kong or continue unabated, enormously dampening the city’s functions, it is imperative that the Hong Kong government adopt coercive measures,” the Global Times newspaper, published by the ruling Communist Party, said this week. “The opposition camp in Hong Kong embraces some unrealistic illusions that must be knocked out. A number of extremists must pay for their illegal confrontational behavior.”

Chow, the student leader, said there would be no turning back for Hong Kong after Sunday.

“Hong Kong people have to make a judgment: whether they are going to fight or accept the offer from the central government,” he said, adding that he believed most residents would reject Beijing’s likely decision because “it will only trap Hong Kong in the next 30 years.”

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AP writer Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report.

Follow Kelvin Chan at twitter.com/chanman

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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