THE pro-China Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB) is to field up to eight candidates in September's direct elections to the Legislative Council. The DAB has finalised seven of the line-up, led by the chairman, Tsang Yok-sing. Another party core leader, Yip Kwok-chung, will have to make up his mind this morning whether to contest the Kowloon South seat before the party unveils its full list at a press conference this afternoon. Mr Tsang, who earlier abandoned his plan to stand against Liberal Party leader Allen Lee Peng-fei in Tai Po, is to face Bruce Liu Sing-lee of the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood in Kowloon Central. A DAB source denied that Mr Tsang's switch to Kowloon Central was a backward step. It was wrong to say that Cheung Hok-ming, who will face Mr Lee in Tai Po, was a weaker candidate, the source said, adding that Mr Cheung stood a good chance. The other five candidates are Tam Yiu-chung in Kowloon Southeast; Cheng Kai-nam in Hong Kong Island South; Wan Hon-cheung in New Territories Southeast; and Cheung Hon-chung in New Territories North. Meanwhile, pro-China candidate Chan Yuen-han, vice-chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions, has decided to stand for direct election in Kowloon Northeast. Head of a departmental store employees' union, Ms Chan had been tipped to stand for the new functional constituency seat for retail industry. Her union agreed to let her stand for direct election provided another union candidate was willing to replace her.