Following Their Conscience

Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement has found a newand formidablecrusader. Three years on from the 500,000-strong march of July 1, 2003 that helped oust unpopular Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, the campaign is struggling to stay relevant. With the economy booming and Beijing ruling out the expansion of direct elections until after 2008, only 40,000 people took part in this year's July 1 marcha clear sign of the movement's lost momentum.

Enter Anson Chan, a charismatic 66-year-old who was a top civil servant under Tung and the last colonial Governor, Chris Patten. Chan's return to the political arena has caused...