Thousands denounce HSBC board member's likening of Hong Kong people to freed slaves

Thousands have signed an online petition denouncing reported comments by an HSBC Holdings  board member in which she likened Hong Kong protesters' demands for democracy to the emancipation of slaves.
   
Laura Cha, who is also a member of Hong Kong's policy-making Executive Council, chairwoman of the city's Financial Services Development Council and a member of China's parliament, was quoted as making the comments at an event in Paris.
   
"American slaves were liberated in 1861 but did not get voting rights until 107 years later, so why can't Hong Kong wait for a while?" the Standard newspaper on Thursday quoted Cha as saying, referring to demands for free elections in the former British colony.
   
Cha said democracy could not be reached in just one step and warned that investors' confidence in Hong Kong was at a critical point, the newspaper added.
   
Cha could not immediately be reached for comment.
   
HSBC's Asia-Pacific chief Peter Wong declined to comment on the remarks, while the Financial Services Development Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
   
The comments triggered outrage on social media and nearly 5,000 people had signed the petition by Friday afternoon.
   
"We, the Hong Kong public, will not stand these remarks likening our rights to slavery, nor will we stand the kind of voter disenfranchisement her and her associates attempt to perpetrate on the Hong Kong public," said the petition to HSBC, that sought an apology from Cha.
   
The petition is addressed to the HSBC board of directors and is signed "The People of Hong Kong". http://chn.ge/1zMPxw4
   
China has ruled Hong Kong since 1997 through a "one country, two systems" formula...