Hong Kong's pan-democratic politicians open to engaging with Beijing after Democratic Party talks with key official
Communication would grant officials more than just one-sided views, politicians say
Political parties in the pan-democratic camp have voiced an open attitude to seizing communication opportunities with Beijing after members of one of their own, the Democratic Party, met a key mainland official this week to discuss Hong Kong governance and political reform.
Wednesday's meeting between five leaders and up-and-coming stars of the Democrats and Feng Wei, deputy director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, is seen as a sign of Beijing offering an olive branch to the camp after pan-democrats voted down the government's reform plan in June.
Two days after the talks, Democrat chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing briefed her allies, Civic Party leader Alan Leong Kah-kit and Labour Party lawmaker Cyd Ho Sau-lan, on the closed-door exchange with Feng.
Leong said yesterday his party would also welcome communication. "This is no problem, especially if the central government is willing to correct itself and does not listen to opinions from just one side." A regular communication channel could be set up with Beijing, his party colleague Dennis Kwok suggested.
READ MORE: Signs of a thaw? Hong Kong Democratic Party members hold behind-closed-doors talks with top Beijing official
At the camp's retreat in July, the pan-democrats had decided to hold talks with Beijing, Ho said, as long as the agenda was about restarting the reform exercise and matters linked to the upholding of the "one country, two systems" governing principle.
"There is a need to tell Beijing officials the actual situation when they misjudge the situation in Hong Kong because of such selective listening," Ho said.
But she called for improved transparency within the camp, noting that some Democrats were upset news of the meeting was withheld from them.
Lau had led lawmaker Wu Chi-wai and three young members - vice-chairmen Andrew Wan Siu-kin and Lo Kin-hei, and chief executive Lam Cheuk-ting - to see Feng. She later explained that spreading the news would spell the cancellation of the meeting since Beijing had asked her not to publicise the date.
Critics were also concerned the talks would anger radicals and affect the party's popularity in November district council polls. Already, People Power had accused the Democrats of non-transparency.
The Hong Kong government said it had "all along been committed to promoting communication between the central government and various sectors".
Liberal Party honorary chairman James Tien Pei-chun urged mainland officials to meet all pan-democratic lawmakers so they did not need to rely on the chief executive or Beijing's liaison office for opinions.
