Police break up Hong Kong rally
From Janine Graham for CNN
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 China warns the U.S. against meddling in Hong Kong affairs.
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Police in Hong Kong have forcibly removed protesters after an overnight vigil protesting Beijing's plans to issue a binding ruling on the territory's election laws.
The democracy activists, who staged a candlelight protest outside government headquarters, are warning that the territory's promised autonomy from Beijing is under its greatest threat ever.
Lawmakers in the Chinese capital will begin discussions on Friday on whether Hong Kong can elect its leaders after 2007.
The National People's Congress standing committee will give its interpretation of provisions on democratic reform laid out in Hong Kong's post-handover constitution, the Basic Law.
Local television showed police officers carrying struggling protesters one by one. The activists were hoping to hand Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa a letter demanding a stop to the review in Beijing.
"It's like a final nail to the coffin of 'one China, two systems' and I want to show my protest," May Wong told CNN.
"It is the first blatant intervention uninitiated by any of the authorities in Hong Kong," Michael Degolyer of Hong Kong's Transition Project says.
"What happens now is, if the standing committee can initiate on its own an interpretation or reinterpretation of virtually any provision of the basic law at any time -- where then is autonomy at all?"
Investors are also worried about the long-term effect of a change to the constitution.
"If it was a single isolated event, the markets would deal with it and handle it but I think the fear is that this is just the tip of the iceberg, the thin end of the wedge which may get driven further and further into the heart of Hong Kong's life." Morgan Stanley's Peter Churchouse says.
Even the limited democracy that exists is threatened -- according to Lee Cheuk-yan, one of 24 elected members in the 60-seat legislature.
"If they interpret the basic law this time, they can also further interpret the basic law and say that these legislative councilors who in the eye of the central government are unpatriotic, are not upholding the basic law, then they will bar all democracy fighters," he says.
The hope in Hong Kong is that the National People's Congress will leave open the possibility of reform in 2007.
