Hong Kong politicians tell Beijing official Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying is not the man for the job
The current leader will not ease tension or mend social split, Ronny Tong Ka-wah of Path of Democracy says.
Two middle-of-the-road Hong Kong politicians met a senior Beijing official from the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office to share views on the city’s post-Legislative Council election political landscape.
During the meetings, held in Shenzhen, Feng Wei, deputy director of the office, was explicitly told that the central government should not allow Leung Chun-ying another term as Hong Kong’s chief executive.
Feng separately met Ronny Tong Ka-wah of Path of Democracy and Tik Chi-yuen of Third Side in Shenzhen last week.
It was reportedly part of a series of meetings Feng held with Hong Kong politicians to assess the city’s political situation after the September 4 elections in which the opposition pan-democrats and localists secured 30 of the 70 seats in the next Legislative Council.
The pro-establishment camp won 40 seats, down from 43 in the 2012 elections.
Tong, who had a breakfast meeting with Feng last Friday (Sep 23), said: “I raised with him the problem of rising social tension in Hong Kong. And I told Feng that Leung Chun-ying was not the man who could ease the tension or mend the social split.
“I simply told Feng that Beijing should consider getting another one to be the chief executive next year.”
“I simply told Feng that Beijing should consider getting another one to be the chief executive next year.”
He also said Feng had expressed concern over the rising calls for independence in Hong Kong.
“I told him that there was no need for the central government to overreact to the calls. If the central government’s reactions were too strong, it would only fuel the problem. I told him the issue could be addressed within Hong Kong’s legal framework.”
Tong declined to say whether or how Feng responded to his suggestions, but said he felt the Beijing official had “a good understanding of the problems”.
Meanwhile, Tik also confirmed he had met Feng on September 23.
He said the Legislative Council elections and Hong Kong–mainland relations were among the major topics touched on during the meeting.
“When we were discussing the new Legislative Council, I told him that some legislators might resort to more radical means to express their views and that the government would have a harder time.
“Feng agreed that the political environment in Hong Kong was difficult,” Tik said.
The two middle-of-the-road political groups fielded candidates to run in the Legislative Council election earlier this month, but all were defeated.
Tik said Feng had appreciated the difficulty faced by middle-of-the-roaders under the prevailing political atmosphere.
“He was supportive and said it might take a few more years for middle-of-the-road force to see more influence.”
Meanwhile, the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party called on students not to attend celebrations of the National Day on October 1.
