JEFFIE LAMjeffie.lam@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Monday, 27 July, 2015, 4:56am
UPDATED : Monday, 27 July, 2015, 4:56am
It's crucial for Beijing to have an accurate assessment of the city's affairs through direct engagement with pan-democrats, says Civic party leader Alan Leong Kah-kit. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
Pan-democrats yesterday agreed there was a need to communicate with Beijing during their first meeting since the government's reform plan for the 2017 chief executive election was voted down last month.
That was the clear consensus reached by the informal grouping of 23 out of 27 pan-democratic lawmakers during eight hours of talks.
"It is very important for the central government to formally recognise the status and standing of the pan-democratic camp," said Civic Party leader Alan Leong Kah-kit, convenor of the group, which does not include four radical pan-democrats.
"The Central People's Government may have misinterpreted and wrongly assessed the Hong Kong situation by reason of hearing only from one side, that is the pro-establishment camp, and ignoring the views of the pan-democratic camp," he said.
While Leong said it was crucial for Beijing to have an accurate assessment of the city's affairs through direct engagement with pan-democrats, Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing further argued that the local government had a responsibility to offer assistance in making such dialogues happen.
But the camp apparently did not regard the military parade to be held in Beijing on September 3, to which some of their members have been invited, as a starting point for communication.
"No dialogue could be carried out amid a military parade. What we call for is a formal meeting where we can exchange ideas efficiently but not something merely ceremonial," said Labour Party lawmaker Cyd Ho Sau-lan, who was neither on the guest list nor interested in the event.
She said she would nevertheless be happy to pay a visit to learn about the country's "One Belt, One Road" initiative.
Meanwhile, ahead of November's district council elections, the camp plans to set up working groups in all 18 districts in the coming year in a bid to facilitate collaboration on community-based issues.
The bodies will resemble their Legco grouping, but be formed by the parties' district councillors and community workers.
Leong said they would work with other groups fighting for democracy. He said the suggestions floated yesterday would be explored further next month.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1843917/hong-kong-pan-democrats-call-government-help-arrange-beijing
