China bluntly ruled out on Saturday greater democracy in Hong Kong soon and said those pressing for what was impossible were being unwise.
Hong Kong democracy activists have been campaigning to have the city's leader elected directly in 2007, when a new chief executive is due, but a Beijing representative said there would be no change to a decision by China's parliament ruling that out.
"On the issue of direct elections in 2007/08, the decision made by the National People's Congress is final," Li Gang, deputy director of China's Liaison Office in Hong Kong told a city cable TV network.
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Hong Kong on Thursday to demand more political freedom and to challenge the refusal this year by the National People's Congress to allow them to elect the city's chief executive.
"It is unwise to try to achieve what is unachievable. Such demands are against the current atmosphere of dialogue and communication in the society," Li said.
Hong Kong was promised a high degree of autonomy under a "one country, two systems" agreement between former colonial ruler Britain and China that paved the way for the city's return to Chinese rule in 1997.
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