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In Hong Kong, Chinese Soldiers' 'Voluntary' Street Cleaning Stirs Worries

William Gallo

   HONG KONG - Dozens of Chinese People's Liberation Army soldiers helped
   clear protester barricades from a street Saturday, emerging from their
   barracks for the first time since protests engulfed the semiautonomous
   Chinese territory five months ago.
   Pro-democracy lawmakers immediately condemned the move as a violation
   of the Basic Law, Hong Kong'smini-constitution, which forbids
   interference by mainland Chinese soldiers unless the Hong Kong
   government formally requests action.
   The decision appeared to be Beijing's latest attempt to gradually
   increase and normalize Chinese military involvement in Hong Kong, which
   has seen increased protests over the past week following the first
   death of a student protester.

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