Rapid urbanisation has not dimmed the power of rural forces in Hong Kong's social and political scene. The contrary may even be true.
A meeting of villagers on rural affairs, on Saturday, had been shaping up as a nasty government-bashing session. But officials stepped in and defused the most contentious issue - the processing of villagers' applications to build small houses.
Villagers were placated by government promises to deploy extra staff and to simplify the vetting procedures for the applications. Approval times will be sped up and fire safety requirements will be implemented flexibly.
Heung Yee Kuk, which looks after the interests of indigenous New Territories residents, had complained about a backlog of 12,000 applications, which would take years to process. The small-house issue is one of several long-standing grievances that indigenous villagers have with the government.
Describing the government initiatives as acceptable, kuk vice-chairman Cheung Hok-ming said: 'Victory without a fight is the best outcome... We need not take to the streets.'
Chairman Lau Wong-fat has praised Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen for showing sincerity in improving the government-kuk relationship, in which the small-house policy was the 'core issue'.