LATER this month the Chinese Government will announce the composition of the Preparatory Committee (PC) for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government.
The committee will start work early next year, marking the final phase of the transition to Chinese communist rule in 1997.
Responding to widespread community concern, officials from the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council, including director Lu Ping, have said the committee will not be an alternative centre of power.
People who are looking desperately for reassurances seize on such remarks as a welcome sign of China's new responsiveness to local concerns which were aroused by Sir Sze-yuen Chung, a member of the Preliminary Working Committee (PWC), a body which is about to transform itself into the PC.
In a recent speech to the Hong Kong Management Association, Sir Sze-yuen referred to the setting up of a shadow government and shadow legislature next year. He later denied having made such suggestions.
It it understandable that China may not want to create a crisis in Hong Kong. Thus, once in a while, Chinese officials may say some soothing words to calm frayed nerves.