Hong Kong's DAB party seeks greater encouragement from Beijing

Hong Kong's biggest pro-establishment party has told Beijing officials it needs more encouragement and recognition for its "hard work" as it was urged to take a "leading role" in uniting fellow loyalists after the city's failed political reform process.

Members of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong made the request to the United Front Work Department yesterday, according to three party sources.

A delegation from the party started its first visit to the capital since 2006 on Tuesday.

"Many patriots have been making lots of contributions to the city, but it seems they are not given enough recognition," a DAB source said.

But the source did not say who made the suggestion in talks with Lin Zhimin, deputy head of the department which cultivates ties with elites outside the Communist Party.

"Not many people [from the DAB] are appointed to the National People's Congress or the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference as the seats are limited, but it would be great if some 'honorary recognition' could be given."

Another party source said, in apparent reference to the city's honours system, that the Hong Kong government had honoured many of its supporters, and that Beijing could consider introducing a similar system to acknowledge people's work.

Meanwhile, it is understood that Lin noted that there were some "technical problems" during the reform vote - referring to the botched walkout by Beijing-loyalist lawmakers on June 18 which left the electoral model for the 2017 chief executive poll with merely eight votes of support. The proposal would have failed anyway as more than a third of lawmakers voted no.

But Lin acknowledged the contribution made by the DAB throughout the reform process.

Lin also told the DAB, which has the largest number of legislative and district councillors, to take the "leading role" in uniting the Beijing-loyalist camp.

DAB chairwoman Starry Lee Wai-king, who led the 34-strong delegation, said they had asked central government officials to exchange ideas with parties that held different views in the wake of the failed reform. She said she had received "positive feedback".

On another matter, Lee refused to comment on a report by the Chinese-language newspaper, Oriental Daily, which suggested commerce chief Greg So Kam-leung, the party's former vice-chairman, was originally on a list of ministers to be replaced.

A cabinet reshuffle was announced on Tuesday that replaced home affairs chief Tsang Tak-sing and civil service minister Paul Tang Kwok-wai.

The DAB delegation is expected to meet NPC chairman Zhang Dejiang , the state leader in charge of Hong Kong affairs, this morning.