Heavyweights to carry coffin
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference vice-chairman Tung Chee-hwa, the director of the central government's liaison office, Gao Siren , and Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen will be among the eight pall-bearers at the funeral of former DAB chairman Ma Lik on Friday. Other pall-bearers are Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong acting chairman Tam Yiu-chung; deputy convenor of the delegation to the National People's Congress, Ng Ching-fai; Executive Council convenor Leung Chun-ying; and CPPCC Standing Committee member Jose Yu Sun-say. Legco House Committee chairwoman Miriam Lau Kin-yee will represent Legco president Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai.
Trust in governments on rise
People's trust in Beijing and the Hong Kong government had each rebounded 6 percentage points to 56 per cent and 65 per cent respectively over the past two months, the Public Opinion Programme of the University of Hong Kong revealed. Around 77 per cent of the 1,008 respondents expressed confidence in 'one country, two systems', four points up from June. Confidence in the mainland's future remained unchanged at 87 per cent while confidence in Hong Kong dropped one point to 79 per cent.
Offer to Beijing bank chief
The government has invited People's Bank of China's governor Zhou Xiaochuan to the city's inaugural Asian Financial Forum next month, said Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Chan Ka-keung. Professor Chan, who was unsure if the mainland central banker would attend, said the forum would allow hundreds of financial experts to exchange ideas on September 21 at the Convention and Exhibition Centre.
