New group for Beijing

A TOTAL of 49 leading figures in the political, business, academic and professional circles were yesterday named as Hongkong affairs advisers, joining the first batch of appointees named last year.

The new appointees will be flying to Beijing on Thursday and will receive their certificates as advisers on the following day in an official ceremony to be attended by senior Chinese leaders including the Prime Minister, Mr Li Peng.

During their stay in Beijing, the new appointees, nominated by both the State Council's Hongkong and Macau Affairs Office and the local branch of the New China News Agency, will be joining the first batch of advisers in discussions about transitional matters for Hongkong.

China last year appointed the first batch of 44 Hongkong affairs advisers who are mainly former members of the Basic Law Drafting Committee and the Basic Law Consultative Committee.

One of the first batch, Mr Henry Litton, gave up the title after he was appointed a judge to the Appeal Court. Of the new appointees, there are 14 from the business sector, 17 politicians, 11 academics, four professionals and three ex-officials.

The advisers, together with deputies to the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, are expected to form the backbone of the committee to prepare for the establishment of the first Special Administrative Region Government and legislature.

POLITICAL Mr Allen Lee Peng-fei AGE: 53. Appointed Legislative Councillor. Former Executive Councillor who stepped down last October. Convenor of CRC and founder of the Liberal Party Preparatory Committee. A leading conservative who often shoots from the hip.