Beijing's liaison chief helps kick off annual Brands and Products Expo

The Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo got a top-level seal of approval yesterday when Beijing's top man in the city declared it open and urged the public to go shopping when they are "in a good mood".

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying and his wife Regina also showed up, spending about HK$3,000 each at the annual event that attracts thousands.

Neither Zhang Xiaoming - the director of the central government's liaison office in the city - nor Leung replied to media questions on the Occupy movement.

"Let's happily welcome Christmas and New Year," Zhang said when asked about the Occupy protests. Later he added: "You go shopping when you are in a good mood."

In recent weeks, many Occupy supporters have responded to an earlier call by Leung for the public to shop more in Mong Kok - the site of a key protest encampment - by roaming around the district in an ironic form of protest. Pro-democracy "shoppers" have popped up frequently at nighttime in Mong Kok and Causeway Bay chanting slogans and attempting to block traffic.

Around 10 "shoppers" raised their yellow umbrellas as they visited the fair and waited around in the venue last night. Among them were the head marshal of the Admiralty protest, Kwok Siu-kit, who said he wished to extend the spirit of the movement.