JOIE CHEN, CNN ANCHOR: A photo session with the Chinese president, Jiang Zemin, turned nasty Friday after questions about Beijing's influence in Hong Kong politics. CNN's Rebecca MacKinnon with more.</s>REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chinese President Jiang Zemin lives in the spotlight, but at a photo-op, tough questions from Hong Kong reporters were just too much.</s>JIANG ZEMIN, PRESIDENT OF CHINA (through translator): You go all around the world following the news. Sometimes you are faster than Western journalists, but the questions you ask are too simple. Sometimes naive. You understand?</s>MACKINNON: The journalists' questions were about Hong Kong chief executive Tung Chee Hwa, who's been suffering from low opinion ratings in Hong Kong opinion polls. Even so, two top Chinese leaders gave him what amounts to their endorsement this week to seek a second term after his first term expires next year. When Hong Kong reporters questioned if Beijing is really dictating Hong Kong's future leadership, Jiang lost his cool.</s>JIANG (through translator): If you make any error in your report, you will have to take the responsibility for it. I never said that I appointed him. I never meant this. But you force me to answer to you whether I support him or not. He is the chief executive. How can we not support the chief executive, right? Succession will take place according to the law in Hong Kong, right or not? Of course, our decision, power is important, too, because Hong Kong's special administrative region is under the central government of the People's Republic of China. At this time, we will express our attitude. Do you understand what I say? You guys try to stir up big news, saying I appointed him, and then you criticize me for doing it. You guys are naive.</s>MACKINNON: The outburst was a surprise, even to HONG KONG'S freewheeling media, a media in a stark contrast to the Chinese domestic media, who never criticize their leaders or ask embarrassing questions. Rebecca MacKinnon, CNN, Beijing.
Questions From Hong Kong Press Provoke Angry Response From Jiang Zemin