Getting to know each other
The central government's decision to invite a 200-strong delegation from Hong Kong - including 10 newly elected legislators from the democratic camp - to take part in National Day celebrations is a very shrewd and welcome move, marking the first such invitation to Beijing since the 1997 handover.
To be sure, not all legislators from the democratic camp were invited. But then, as the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong made clear, the invitations were not being extended to lawmakers as such, but rather to leaders of various fields, as well as Hong Kong members of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Interestingly, of the 10 members of the democratic camp invited, only one, Sin Chung-kai, is a member of the Democratic Party. Mr Sin has, for years, represented the information technology sector, and is perhaps the party member most acceptable to Beijing, especially as he is not active within the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movements in China.
It is good that Mr Sin has accepted the invitation. It would have been a terrible mistake for him to boycott the event on the grounds that not all Democrats were invited.
The invitations are a clear sign that some members of the democratic camp are more acceptable to Beijing than others. This is not surprising, considering that the camp itself is quite disparate, being united only in the desire for democracy. Some actively call for the end of one-party rule in China - which is understandably interpreted in Beijing as calling for the overthrow of the Communist Party - while others limit themselves to advocating democracy in Hong Kong.
Actually, it is a little too simplistic to depict the incoming legislature as consisting of 35 pro-government and 25 pro-democracy lawmakers. Many lumped into the pro-government camp act quite independently and will vote against the administration on certain issues, just as there are those within the pro-democracy camp who will support the government. And, there are the unaffiliated legislators known formerly as the Breakfast Group, who will provide swing votes.
The National Day celebration itself is a ceremonial occasion and, while guests may get to shake hands with President Hu Jintao, Vice-President Zeng Qinghong and Premier Wen Jiabao, it is unlikely that there will be any opportunity for in-depth discussion of Hong Kong issues. This is a get-acquainted session. If all goes well, it may lead to future invitations for an exchange of views.
Inevitably, the invitation has been interpreted by some as a move to split the democratic camp. Maybe it is, but it can also be seen as a move to begin a dialogue with some members, one that may later be extended to others as well.
Beijing, no doubt, is fearful that some of the more extreme members of the democratic camp may, if invited, use the opportunity to stage a protest and disrupt the ceremonies to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic. No doubt, they remember that the democrats staged a walkout from Government House in April when Qiao Xiaoyang, deputy secretary-general of the National People's Congress, explained the decision to bar universal suffrage in Hong Kong in 2007-08. 'They had always said they wanted to see me,' a perplexed Mr Qiao said later. 'But when the chance was put in front of them, they didn't take it.'
Hopefully, the Democrats, too, have learned from that experience. Beijing and the democrats do not see eye to eye, which is precisely why there needs to be a dialogue.
Frank Ching is a Hong Kong-based journalist and commentator
