New Hong Kong political party Third Side prepares to test its moderate stance in Legco elections
Ex-Democrats behind Third Side say they will talk to anyone, including Beijing officials, and are open to members taking jobs in government
Leaders of a new middle-of-the-road political party offering an alternative to weary voters aim to test their "moderate approach" in next year's Legislative Council elections.
Third Side is headed by two founding members of the Democratic Party, former lawmakers Tik Chi-yuen and Nelson Wong Sing-chi, who are widely seen as moderate pan-democrats.
Wong was expelled by the Democrats in July for urging legislators to accept conditionally a Beijing-decreed political reform package for the 2017 chief executive election.
Tik quit this month to show his discontent with the party's reluctance to accept dissident voices.
Others on the party's 20-member preparatory committee include former Democrats Chan Ka-wai and Chow Yick-hay, and businessman Shih Wing-ching, who is also from Path of Democracy, the think tank set up by fellow moderate and former Civic Party legislator Ronny Tong Ka-wah. He stressed yesterday he had not yet decided whether he would join Third Side.
Wong, vice-convenor of Third Side's preparatory committee, said: "As a middle-of-the-road political party, we welcome dialogue with whoever is willing to talk, be they the Beijing authorities, the pan-democrats, or the pro-establishment people."
He also said they would have no problem accepting government appointments.