The two main chief executive hopefuls continued their election campaigns on New Year's Day, with Leung Chun-ying showing up uninvited at a DAB function in an apparent bid to canvass support from the city's largest political party.
Henry Tang Ying-yen, the former chief secretary, visited two middle-class families in Heng Fa Chuen.
Both men avoided taking sides in the controversy over the central government liaison office's attack on an academic survey, which sparked worries over possible interference in academic freedom.
Leung, former Executive Council convenor, turned up in the morning at the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong's 20th anniversary celebrations in Tamar Park, Admiralty.
He said 'it was unrelated to the [chief executive] election'. The DAB has 147 votes in the 1,200-strong Election Committee in the March 25 race and has not endorsed a candidate.
Leung said he was passing by while driving from Wan Chai to his office in Central and merely wanted to greet the group.
'I saw the DAB's flags, so I stopped my car and came to see what was happening,' he said. 'I will canvass for nominations from Election Committee members one by one and there is certain progress. I am confident. Still, I've to keep up my work.'