HK pro-government activists hold rally

HONG KONG, Aug 17 (AFP): Tens of thousands of people, some waving Chinese flags, marched in Hong Kong Sunday to protest against a pro-democracy campaign to blockade the business district unless Beijing grants acceptable electoral reforms.
The rally in searing summer heat came around seven weeks after rival pro-democracy protesters staged a mass march seeking a greater say in how the future leader of their city is chosen.
Paul Yip, a statistician at Hong Kong University told AFP an estimated 57,000 attended Sunday's rally.
This compared to independent estimates of the July 1 march ranging from 122,000-172,000 people.
Police said 111,800 people left Sunday's starting point in Victoria Park, larger than their estimate of 98,600 on July 1.
Public discontent in the semi-autonomous Chinese city is at its highest for years, with concern at perceived interference by Beijing and growing divisions over how the next chief executive should be chosen in 2017 under planned political reforms.
Pro-democracy campaigners from the Occupy Central group have pledged to mobilise thousands of protesters to block roads in the Central financial district later this year if authorities reject the public's right to nominate candidates for the post.