Central government looks to court city professionals with new department The central government's liaison office in Hong Kong has set up a new department to lobby and court the support of institutions and groups representing the city's middle class and professionals. The move is part of its efforts to reach out to more people. The central government has also transferred a leading constitutional law specialist from Peking University to Hong Kong to strengthen research efforts on the 'one country, two systems' concept, which is facing more challenges in the city. The liaison office set up the so-called department of social institutions last month, to complement the functions of the department of social work, according to sources close to the office. The new department will be headed by Guo Tiesheng , a former deputy director of the department of social work. Mr Guo used to work for Hong Kong-based Everbright Holdings, a major mainland investment firm, before being transferred to the liaison office. The objective of the new department will be to try to lobby support from Hong Kong's middle class and professionals, a group that has long been considered a weak link in Beijing's aim for a so-called united front. This problem was underlined for the central government by the massive July and New Year demonstrations in Hong Kong in which the middle class and professionals played an active role, voicing their anger against the policies of the central government and particularly those of the Tung Chee-hwa administration. For years, the liaison office has done an effective job in communicating with the city's tycoons and elite, which is the job of senior officials at the liaison office, and the working class, the job of the department of social work. Jiang Shigong, a leading Peking University professor well known for his controversial views on the constitution, has already begun working at the liaison office. He is expected to focus on studying the implications and applications of the 'one country, two systems' concept in Hong Kong. His transfer has come as mainland leadership has called for more efforts to beef up research on major legal and policy issues relating to the city. Professor Jiang is a frequent media commentator on the mainland. President Hu Jintao , in his keynote speech at the anniversary of Macau's handover earlier this month, said that ensuring the success of the 'one country, two systems' model was not only a new issue for the two special administrative regions but was also a concern of the central government. Additional reporting by Nailene Chou Wiest
