Top China official says Hong Kong autonomy will be preserved

A top Chinese official said Hong Kong can have "peace of mind" that its autonomy will be preserved, but hit out at independence activists during a highly-charged visit that sparked protests Wednesday. The three-day trip by Zhang Dejiang, who chairs China's communist-controlled legislature, is the first by such a senior official for four years. It comes as concerns grow that freedoms are under threat in semi-autonomous Hong Kong as China tightens its grip.