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Warm reception in Beijing just  a chat, says former Legco chief

Former Legco president Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai yesterday dismissed speculation that she was set to enter the race to become the next chief executive.

Political pundits have been speculating since President Hu Jintao greeted Mrs Fan with a warm handshake and chatted to her when he met a Hong Kong delegation in the Great Hall of the People on Thursday.

Mrs Fan, who was one of the 220-strong delegation invited to the capital for National Day celebrations, revealed that Mr Hu inquired about her health during the short encounter.

'It was like chatting with friends,' she said yesterday and added: 'It was just a chat, nothing special.'

She said Mr Hu had shaken hands with all the delegates standing in the front row and some in the second row during the meeting.

Asked on RTHK whether she was now leading the race to be next chief executive, Mrs Fan, who is a local deputy to the National People's Congress,  replied: 'I haven't joined the race, how can I take the lead?'

She said Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, Financial Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen and Secretary for Education and Manpower Arthur Li Kwok-cheung were the frontrunners for the job.

Asked at  a separate function about the chances of Executive Councillor Leung Chun-ying, she said: 'I've said it before, he's not suitable [to be chief executive].'

Mrs Fan had said during her election campaign that Mr Leung was not suitable for the top post because of his inadequate performance in the provisional legislature, a claim rejected by Mr Leung.

She fanned speculation she  might have  had private meetings with mainland officials by staying  overnight in Beijing and returning to the city only on Friday afternoon.  The rest of the delegation took a late-night flight back to Hong Kong on Thursday.

But she said she simply wanted more rest and that Friday was a public holiday and nobody was working.

Mrs Fan also revealed that she had thought of giving up running for the Legco presidency after learning that Democrat Albert Ho Chun-yan was nominated for the post. But she had decided to carry on because she had to respect those lawmakers who nominated her, while vowing to be an impartial president if she  was elected.

She also  dismissed criticism by Mr Ho  that she was too conservative and had made some unreasonable rulings during her presidency over the past seven years.

Priscilla Lau Pui-king, a local deputy to the NPC, meanwhile, told RTHK's Partyline that Mr Hu's  National Day speech  showed  the central government  wanted better communication with different sectors in Hong Kong in the wake of the  July 1 marches this year and last.

Mr Hu called on the people of Hong Kong, including those harbouring dissenting views, to unite for the development of the city.



I'm not in race for top job, says Rita Fan