Beijing - President Jiang Zemin of China berated Hong Kong journalists furiously for several minutes yesterday for asking whether Hong Kong's chief-executive, Mr Tung Cheehwa, was "the Emperor's choice" to serve for another five-year term after 2002, Conor O'Clery reports.
Usually jocular with the media, Mr Jiang lunged from his armchair, where he was sitting beside Mr Tung, clearly stung by the implication that he made the final decision.
"The media must raise its knowledge, do you know that? Your questions are too simple, sometimes naive! When I see you are so friendly, it's not nice not to answer your question. But you bear responsibility for your reports," the Chinese leader snapped angrily.
