bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Ambrose Leung

Gary Cheung

HK chiefs set for talks with Xi Jinping before he visits city
Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen are likely to meet Vice-President Xi Jinping  today during a trip to Sichuan  to see the destruction in the earthquake zone.
Mr Xi, who is scheduled to visit Hong Kong from July 6 to 8, will visit quake-hit areas today, as Mr Tsang and Mr Tang start their visit.
A source said a meeting with Mr Xi was not included in the chief executive's schedule in Sichuan, 'but it would not be surprising if there is such a meeting'.
A meeting with Mr Xi  would mark the first time in recent years that the chief executive and the chief secretary have met a state leader together on the mainland.
If they meet, Mr Tsang is expected to discuss with Mr Xi how Hong Kong can participate in rebuilding the quake zone. Mr Tang was named on Thursday as head of the steering committee on Hong Kong's support for reconstruction in the quake-stricken areas.
The delegation, which  arrived in Chengdu  last night,  is expected to visit quake-hit areas  today and   discuss ways for Hong Kong to participate in reconstruction work with Sichuan officials, including Governor Jiang Jufeng .
Mr Xi's visit to Hong Kong next month  will be his first since becoming vice-president  in March. During the three day-trip,  he will inspect progress Hong Kong has made in preparing to host the Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events.
Observers said the state leader's visit at a time when the popularity of Mr Tsang and his government was falling  would give the chief executive  a chance to obtain the backing  of the  central government.
It might also be an opportunity for pan-democrats and government-friendly parties, as well as tycoons, to seek communication with Beijing ahead of the Olympic Games.
Observers expect that in line with past practice for state leaders, Mr Xi will meet business, political and social leaders.
Pan-democrats have sent a letter to Mr Tsang, urging him to arrange a meeting between lawmakers and Mr Xi. Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan  said they would discuss the request at a Legco House Committee meeting next week.
The pan-democrats said if they met Mr Xi they would ask that the central government be more open to dissidents and allow those in overseas exile to return to the mainland during the Beijing Olympics.
Both Tam Yiu-chung,  of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, and  Miriam Lau Kin-yee,  of the Liberal Party, said they hoped to discuss economic and social problems in Hong Kong with Mr Xi.



Tsang, Tang likely to meet vice-president in quake zone