Beijing may send top officials to Shenzhen as observers if Occupy Central goes ahead
Beijing may respond to protests by sending observers to gather intelligence on the city from across the border, as it has done in the past
Another ritual observation of Hong Kong by high-ranking Beijing officials in Shenzhen could be in store if activists go ahead with plans to stage mass protests and block roads in Central.
It would be part of a pattern that has emerged since the mass protest in 2003 that derailed plans for a national security law and shocked the central government, which had no idea of the depth of feeling in the community on the issue.
Political observers said the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong was blamed for failing to accurately reflect the situation in the city.
Hundreds of officials and researchers are now sent to Shenzhen to gather intelligence ahead of important political events in Hong Kong, including elections.
But veteran China watcher Johnny Lau Yui-siu cast doubt on the effectiveness of the exercise, saying the information could equally well be gathered from Beijing.
"Having top officials in Shenzhen will only add urgency for middle-ranking and junior officials to implement instructions issued by their bosses," he said.
In the wake of the estimated 500,000-strong march against the national security law on July 1, 2003, dozens of mainland officials from various departments, including the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of State Security and intelligence agencies were rushed to Hong Kong.