Zhang put on hold as democrats review rift

Jeffie Lam | 13 May 2014 | SCMP

Two Democratic Party lawmakers have postponed a meeting scheduled for tomorrow with Beijing’s top representative to focus on the widening rift threatening to tear the pan-democratic camp apart.

Central government liaison office director Zhang Xiaoming has invited pan-democrat lawmakers for one-on-one discussions on electoral reform.

The decision came after supporters of Occupy Central shortlisted three plans during a “deliberation day” last week which call for an idea banned by Beijing: allowing public nomination of chief executive hopefuls.

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Democracy alliance chief urges unity to beat chief executive candidate screening

Tanna Chong | 11 May 2014 | SCMP

“Our core struggle is to fight off political screening in the 2017 chief executive election. Only unity can mobilise Hongkongers’ support, enabling us to exert pressure on Beijing and the government,”

Professor Joseph Cheng Yu-shek, the alliance’s convenor, said only unity could give the camp sufficient strength to bargain with Beijing.

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Financial Secretary John Tsang calls for compromise on electoral reform

Jeffie Lam | 5 May 2014 | SCMP

“I always believe the relatively extreme opinions … are only … bargaining tactics in the reform’s negotiation, where different parties would still be willing to make reasonable compromises eventually for the sake of Hong Kong’s democratic progress,”

Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah has urged lawmakers to agree on a compromise over the terms for electoral reform or risk damaging the city’s economic future.

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Civic Party insists on group session with liaison office director on political reform

Tanna Chong | 30 April 2014 | SCMP

The Civic Party will insist on meeting Beijing’s liaison office chief as a group to discuss electoral reform, despite differences with one of its six lawmakers over public nomination.

The decision was made at a party meeting yesterday after Dennis Kwok confirmed he had been the second Civic Party lawmaker after Dr Kwok Ka-ki to receive an individual invitation from the central government’s liaison office for talks.

It came after Ronny Tong Ka-wah – who has put forward his own proposal for the 2017 chief executive election that omits the public’s right to nominate candidates – dropped an earlier demand to meet office director Zhang Xiaoming alone or with pan-democrats who support his plan.

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