Hong Kong leader battles on

Tung Chee-hwa is standing firm

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa received a lukewarm backing from China's state-run media on Friday, ahead of a planned trip to Beijing.

The beleaguered Mr Tung, who faces calls to resign because of his handling of a controversial anti-subversion bill, is due to meet China's President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday.

The talks will be overshadowed by the most serious political crisis to affect Hong Kong since its return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.

Street protests against the bill forced the government to delay it, and triggered the resignations of two senior ministers.

ANTI-SUBVERSION BILL Outlaws: Reporting state "secrets" Criticism of Beijing authority Access to "subversive" material Threatens currently legal groups, such as Falun Gong Q&A: Anti-subversion bill

Mr Tung's statement on Thursday that he intended to continue as Hong Kong's leader was supported by Friday's edition of the China Daily newspaper.

The state-run paper heralded his "brave choice" to stay put and recover from past mistakes.

Wen Wei Po, a Beijing-backed newspaper in Hong Kong, also said Mr Tung's announcement "showed enormous courage and responsibility".

The comments suggested Mr Tung has not yet lost the support of his backers in Beijing.

But he is expected to be told to continue with getting the anti-subversion bill approved by the territory's legislation, as well as tackle the growing discontent in the territory.

Hong Kong is required to enact the security legislation in line with the Basic Law agreed when Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule.

'Sleepless' over rally

But critics say the new laws would seriously undermine Hong Kong's political, religious and media freedoms.

The mass rally on 1 July, when more than 500,000 people marched in protest, left Mr Tung "sleepless", he has admitted.

He vowed to hold more meetings with political parties, the media and community leaders to increase his accountability.

But Mr Tung's many critics doubt whether he can still govern effectively.

"It was just lip service," Wong Sing-chi, from the opposition Democratic Party, said about Mr Tung's speech.

The current discontent in Hong Kong has also reignited calls for universal suffrage - which according to the territory's mini-constitution, can be implemented from 2007.

The leader of the largest pro-China party in the territory called on Friday for the next chief executive to be elected by completely democratic means.

"The whole scene will be given a new life when there is a clear direction in 2007. People will stop calling on Tung to go," Tsang Yok-sing, chairman of the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong, told the South China Morning Post.

Mr Tung's administration has so far been non-committal on its stance towards universal suffrage.