`Historic breakthrough' in Zhang soft power bid
Local | Flora Chung 20 May 2016Lawmakers described Zhang Dejiang's visit as an attempt by Beijing to appease Hongkongers in what represents a softer approach to the SAR.
Speaking on Commercial Radio yesterday, Alan Leong Kah-kit of the Civic Party said Zhang assured lawmakers during a pre-dinner reception that Beijing had no plans to turn "one country, two systems" into "one country, one system."
Leong added: "Zhang kept telling us not to worry about it, and said the rumor that the central government is going to implement a `one country, one system' policy in Hong Kong was groundless."
Zhang, who made the same point at Wednesday's banquet, was the first top Beijing official to openly pay respect to Hong Kong's rule of law, describing it as a move to regain Hongkongers' confidence in "one country, two systems," he said.
Leong described the dialogue between Zhang and the pan-democrats as a "historic breakthrough," and he hoped it would be a prelude to establishing more communications with Beijing.
It emerged yesterday that when the pan-democrats demanded more communication with Beijing, central government liaison office chief Zhang Xiaoming interrupted, saying he had invited the pan-democratic lawmakers for lunch before, but got turned down.
However, lawmakers from the pro-establishment camp said they were shocked when the pan-democrats requested that Leung Chun-ying be removed as chief executive.
They said as democratically elected legislators, they shouldn't stop Leung from running for a second term.
It was said that Zhang was pleased with the "fightback."
Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing said yesterday that the brief meeting showed Zhang's knowledge about Hong Kong, but didn't necessarily mean the central government has softened its stance.
Lau reportedly confronted Zhang after he said Beijing would support Leung and the SAR government.
"Many people are not happy [with Leung]," Lau said. "I'm not here to debate with you today."
Zhang said: "This is not a war of words, and I'm not here to convince you. I will listen to what you said today, and I speak to you too. Hong Kong is a pluralistic society."
