Beijing offers mainland trips as 'olive branch' to Hong Kong pan-democrats after reform vote

It's time to look forward. That's the message from Beijing's point man in Hong Kong for both the pro-establishment and pan-democratic camps.

Apart from pacifying pro-establishment lawmakers still licking their wounds in the wake of the botched walkout before the vote on electoral reform last week, Zhang Xiaoming, director of the central government's liaison office, also made an unexpected conciliatory gesture towards the pan-democrats who voted down the package.

According to pro-establishment lawmakers attending a tea gathering at the liaison office on Thursday, Zhang said the central government would invite lawmakers to a military parade in Beijing on September 3 commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of the second world war.

"The central government will also invite representatives from different sectors in Hong Kong, including lawmakers, to inspect the development opportunities arising from the country's 'One Belt, One Road' strategic initiative," veteran pro-establishment legislator Tam Yiu-chung said.

A mainland official handling Hong Kong affairs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the arrangement for lawmakers' upcoming visits to the mainland should be similar to those for other trips in recent years.

All lawmakers, including pan-democrats, were invited for talks with Beijing officials in Shanghai in April last year and in Shenzhen last month.