Wednesday, July 23, 2014, 08:29
CE pledges to encourage talks prior to NPCSC call
 |
| Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying speaks at a press conference in Hong Kong on July 15, 2014. (Edmond Tang / China Daily) |
Twenty-three members of the opposition camp’s “Lunch Box Club” in the Legislative Council (LegCo) are set to meet officials in charge of electoral reform — including Chief Secretary for Administration Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor — at a meeting today (Wednesday).
This comes after Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), met pro-establishment politicians in Shenzhen over the weekend. It is over three months since opposition lawmakers met Beijing officials in Shanghai.
Once the NPCSC agrees to continue with political reforms, the SAR government will table a reform package in LegCo. With a two-thirds threshold to clear, the package needs the support of at least four opposition members before it can be sent to the NPCSC for final approval.
Leung, speaking to the media before the Executive Council meeting on Tuesday, again pledged to facilitate more dialogue between the opposition camp and the central government. But he recalled that earlier discussions in Shanghai had showed this was difficult.
The outcome of the April trip to Shanghai was said to be positive. Leung noted that there were “twists and turns” in discussions during the visit. Moreover, of a total of 27 opposition lawmakers, only 11 participated in the discussions. But only three toured Shanghai with Leung.
The Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR had pledged to meet members from the opposition camp after they returned to Hong Kong. But the opposition camp has used different excuses to prevent this from happening.
Leung appealed for goodwill from the opposition camp before the NPCSC announces its decision. “I appeal to all sides to create favorable conditions and a positive atmosphere,” urged the Chief Executive.
Leung’s views were echoed by Elsie Leung Oi-sie, deputy director of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee under the NPCSC. “It takes two to tango,” the former justice secretary told a radio program on Tuesday. “The key is that both sides involved in dialogue show sincerity.”
She warned that setting preconditions during these discussions — such as open-door meetings — would be counterproductive. She also said there could be no compromise on things clearly outlined in the Basic Law.
Zhang’s recent visit to Shenzhen and mounting pressure by the “Occupy Central” campaign have apparently prompted the opposition to push for a new round of talks with Beijing prior to the NPCSC’s meeting in August.
Democratic Party Chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing told the media her supporters were open to any form of discussion.
Labour Party’s Cyd Ho Sau-lan said she hoped the dialogue with Beijing might help end the deadlock in political discussions.
Ronny Tong Ka-wah, legislator of Civic Party, accepted that discussions should recommence without any preconditions. He warned the goal of achieving universal suffrage could be compromised. This would happen if the opposition failed to seize the “last opportunity” to talk with central government leaders, Tong explained.
Major opposition parties are still advocating “public nomination” — a method openly denounced as being “unconstitutional”. But Tong told RTHK that a number of his fellow lawmakers were actually quite open-minded on this issue.
Both Ronny Tong and Elsie Leung believe there is still room for change in the makeup, size and procedure of the Nominating Committee (NC). But Elsie Leung added that small changes to the NC would stand a greater chance of acceptance.
Elsie Leung urged the opposition to secure the right to popular votes and then seek improvements to the NC in future.
kahon@chinadailyhk.com
