Beijing wants to improve ties with pan-dems, says top mainland official
Top mainland official says public opinion and national security would be factors in considering a relaunch of reform process
The central government will strive to improve its relationship with Hong Kong pan-democrats even if they vote down the proposal for the 2017 chief executive election, a top mainland official said yesterday.
Wang Guangya , director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, also spelled out the factors Beijing would take into account for relaunching the reform process, including public opinion and national security.
Wang's remarks to the Hong Kong Bar Association came as Tung Chee-hwa, vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, urged pan-democratic lawmakers to support the government blueprint.
Ronny Tong Ka-wah, a Civic Party lawmaker who joined the association's biennial visit to the capital, which ended yesterday, said: "I asked Wang if the reform exercise failed this time, would 'one country, two systems' collapse? He said [the policy] would not be affected.
"Wang also said whether the reform succeeded or failed, the central government should continue to communicate with pan-democrats and improve their relationship in the long run."