Handover official Chen Zuoer laments British flags at protests

The sight of the British flag at recent demonstrations in Hong Kong was "heartbreaking", said a former senior mainland official yesterday, possibly transmitting the views of Beijing.

The British flag and the old Hong Kong flag were prominent at recent protests amid what appears to be a growing wave of nostalgia for the colonial era.

But Chen Zuoer, former deputy director of Beijing's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said Hongkongers should find other ways of expressing discontent.

"They are problems which should be resolved within the same family," Chen said during a visit to the city. "But why did some Hong Kong people wave the flags of a foreign country during the protests? Does waving the colonial flags help resolve the matters?"

But he added that Hongkongers were free to express discontent with the city government and the nation.

"Those flags should be sent to history museums, rather than being displayed in the streets," said Chen, here to promote his book Negotiations on The Handover of Sovereignty of Hong Kong - A Witness Recount.

Retired mainland officials often retain considerable influence. Chen is vice-chairman of the committee on Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese affairs under the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.