Chief executive-elect Leung Chun-ying caused a stir this week by visiting the central government's liaison office after his election victory.
His one-hour visit to the office in Western district followed a half-hour meeting with current Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen at the government headquarters at Tamar.
Liaison officials - director Dr Peng Qinghua and deputy director Li Gang - shook Leung's hand on the doorstep as he left the office.
The event may be significant because Tsang and Tung Chee-hwa were not reported to have called on the liaison office so soon after being elected.
Leung's visit on Monday drew criticism from pan-democrats, who said he went to thank the liaison office officials for their apparently secret support during the campaign.
Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan said: 'It dealt a blow to the public's confidence in the idea of Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong.'