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Ravina Shamdasani

CPPCC vice-chairman exchanges views with lawyers from pro-democracy group

Members of the pro-democracy Article 45 Concern Group say they had a frank and friendly exchange of views over lunch and lychees with a state leader.

They were among a small group of  barristers invited to meet a vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee, Luo Haocai, in Dongguan last month.

The meeting was set up after a request from Mr Luo, a former vice-president and professor of law at Peking University and former vice-president of the Supreme People's Court, to local CPPCC delegate Andrew Liao Cheung-sing.

Mr Liao said yesterday Mr Luo had wanted to meet local barristers for golf and lunch during a stopover in the Pearl River Delta city  before heading back to Beijing.

But as Mr Liao had not mastered the sport, they just ended up having lunch.

The guests included Legislative Council candidate and former Bar Association chairman Alan Leong Kah-kit,   and Denis Chang Khen-lee,  another member of Article 45,  the barristers' group set up to push for universal suffrage.

Bar Association chief Edward Chan King-sang and Alan Hoo were also there.

Mr Liao said the group had enjoyed the 'good lychee season and having a frank, civilised and friendly exchange of views'.

'There was no fixed agenda and there was a friendly and relaxed atmosphere which was quite encouraging,' Mr Liao said.

He added: 'I've always believed that Hong Kong deputies can serve as a bridge and seize upon any opportunities to promote an exchange of views so we can understand more the system on the mainland and they can understand what people think here.'

Mr Chan said the meeting was a social rather than political one, and played down its significance. But he said  all present  agreed on the need for better communication between mainland  officials and various sectors of society.

Mr Leong said he spoke to Mr Luo, whom he had met two years ago at the Secretary for Justice's residence, 'about what we have learnt from tapping the pulse of Hong Kong people'.

'I analysed for Mr Luo why half a million people took to the streets, why people have been advocating universal suffrage and said  they are certainly not advocating Hong Kong's independence.'

He said he also expressed concerns over the National People's Congress Standing Committee's interpretation of the Basic Law which ruled out universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008, and the 'hasty' attempt  to enact the Article 23 anti-subversion laws.

'I explained to him we are not objecting to the making per se of the [national security] laws but certainly took offence at the lack of due process and over-legislation,' he said. 'It is better, I said, to understand what the democrats are aspiring to by learning it from them rather from than a third party.'

Mr Leong said Mr Luo was 'very positive about the need for direct communication and listened very patiently'.



Article 45 barristers meet state leader