BRITAIN'S only Mandarin-speaking political party leader flies into Hong Kong on Saturday hoping for a briefing from Mr Patten on the territory's future.
Paddy Ashdown, leader of the Liberal Democrats, is on a private visit described by his London office as partly holiday, partly fact-finding.
Although his name is not yet on Mr Patten's diary of engagements during the three days of his stay, party spokesman David Vigar said approaches had been made for the two to have a tete-a-tete on issues affecting Hong Kong.
Mr Ashdown, a keen sinologist, learned Mandarin in 1967 at the now-defunct Ministry of Defence language school in Osborn Barracks, Kowloon, while he was a Royal Marine Officer in the Special Boat Squadron.
Although he has in the past expressed admiration for Mr Patten's political and social skills, he has also criticised him for not extending his democratic reforms further.
On Sunday, he will have lunch with business leaders and political sympathisers at the Hong Kong Club. He is due to fly back to Britain on Tuesday.
