Pro-democracy protesters jeer Hong Kong leader

Pro-democracy protesters kept behind police barricades jeered Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on Wednesday when he attended a flag-raising ceremony on China's National Day.

The event at Bauhinia Square marked the anniversary of the founding of communist China in 1949, and after the hundreds of protesters yelled at Leung to step down, they then fell silent and turned their backs when the ceremony began.

Helicopters flew past carrying the Hong Kong and Chinese flags, with the latter noticeably larger.

In a speech, Leung made no direct mention of the Occupy Central protesters, who have blocked streets for days across the semiautonomous territory to press demands for democratic reforms for Hong Kong's first direct elections in 2017 to choose the city's top leader. The protests have posed the stiffest challenge to Beijing's authority since China took control of the former British colony in 1997.

Leung told voters it is better to agree to Beijing's plans for nominating candidates and to hold an election, than to stick with the current system of having an Election Commission choose the chief executive.

"It is definitely better to have universal suffrage than not," said Leung, a Beijing appointee who is mistrusted by many in Hong Kong. "It is definitely better to have the chief executive elected by 5 million eligible voters than by 1,200 people. And it is definitely better to cast your vote at the polling station than to stay home and watch on television the 1,200 members of the Election Committee cast their votes."

He added, "We hope that all sectors of the community will work with the government in a peaceful, lawful, rational and pragmatic manner ... and make a big step forward in our constitutional development."

Later, as Leung spoke to a group of dignitaries, pro-democracy lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung shouted for him to step down before being bundled away by security.  

"We are not celebrating the 65th anniversary of China. With the present political turmoil in Hong Kong and the continued persecution of human rights activists in China, I think today is not a day for celebrations but rather a day of sadness," said Oscar Lai, a spokesman for the student group Scholarism.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has taken a hard line against any perceived threat to the Communist Party's hold on power, vowed in a National Day speech to "steadfastly safeguard" Hong Kong's prosperity and stability.

China's government has condemned the student-led protests as illegal, though so far it has not overtly intervened, leaving Hong Kong authorities to handle the crisis which is centered on August decision requiring a pro-Beijing panel to screen candidates in the territory's first direct elections, scheduled for 2017.

Leung's rejection of the student demands to meet with them on Wednesday dashed hopes for a quick resolution of the standoff that has blocked city streets and forced some schools and offices to close.

It remains unclear what the demonstrators plan to do next. There were no immediate official statements from the protesters. University students are already boycotting classes, and other options include widening the protests, pushing for a labor strike and occupying a government building.

"Frankly, if I was a government official, I would not have a clue how to solve this," said Chit Lau, a 35-year-old pilot, adding he thought the stalemate would continue until Leung or some other top official resigned, or the army clashed with the people.

However, there is growing international concern over the protests, in part because of China’s economic might and because of Beijing’s willingness to quash dissent.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will discuss the protests with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang yi talks in Washington on Wednesday, U.S. officials said.

British Prime Minister David Cameron saying he planned to summon the Chinese ambassador to discuss the dispute, saying it is essential that Hong Kong's people have a genuine right to choose their top leader.

Al Jazeera and wire services