Opinion | Hong Kong needs a kinder, gentler, listening politics to heal its divisions

In many ways her willingness to apologise is a marked improvement over her predecessors, and reflects a genuine softening of her stance and a recognition of errors from the city’s leader. However, to many of her critics, her apology not only failed to acknowledge fundamental issues within the government’s proposed amendment, but also the political reality of a deeply divided city. Establishment and pan-democratic lawmakers alike have taken issue with her apology – the latter for its perceived insincerity, the former for the ostensible capitulation it signifies.

It would therefore be in Lam’s and the government’s interests to take dissenting voices seriously.

It is also in the interests of Beijing that dissenting voices are taken seriously. Large-scale protests offer Beijing’s opponents – such as Washington and London – easy ammunition to frame the regime in ways that suit their political needs. Moreover, Taiwan’s escalating scepticism about “one country, two systems” – even among its more pro-Beijing politicians – should be a cause for concern for Beijing loyalists who seek reconciliation with Taiwan. There is an easy solution: further incorporation of opposition voices and interests into agenda-setting and policymaking.

The government should consider re-establishing regular discussions and consultations with not just pan-democratic lawmakers, but also grass roots activists, students, apolitical citizens or opinion leaders from the other end of the political spectrum. Moreover, it should stress-test the optics of its statements – from simple apologies to complex speeches – by circulating them among those with differing points of views. Above all, taking dissenting voices seriously requires treating them with respect and political tolerance.