Signs of a thaw? Hong Kong Democratic Party members hold behind-closed-doors talks with top Beijing official
Invitation to pan-democratic party seems to be sign of central authorities offering olive branch after failed reform and ahead of district polls
It was the first meeting between the two sides since the Democrats joined fellow pan-democratic lawmakers in blocking a Beijing-dictated model for electoral reform in June - and was held possibly with an eye to the next political battle: crunch district council polls in November.
Lau said she had turned down Feng's invitation before the reform vote as Beijing had ruled out any concessions back then. But they agreed to see him this week, she said, because the city was steeped in myriad woes and they wanted to raise the problems directly with Beijing officials.
"The central government should understand Hongkongers' anger," she said, adding they had told Feng that Leung Chun-ying was not a suitable chief executive for the city.
News of the ice-breaking exchange was greeted with dismay by some party insiders. They felt it was unwise for their leaders to meet Beijing officials without notifying the central committee, the party's decision-making body.