Hong Kong pan-democrats say Zhang Dejiang agreed to more direct talks

The state leader in charge of Hong Kong affairs had agreed to have more direct talks with Hong Kong politicians – including with the opposition camp, according to four pan-democrats who had a brief discussion with Zhang ­Dejiang yesterday.

The opposition legislators, however, expressed disappointment that Zhang had sought to play down the Hong Kong ­independence or self-determination, calls which, they believed, were triggered by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s poor leadership. Zhang, they said, sidestepped the question and they quoted him as responding: “There seems a world trend for referendum in this country and that country. It is not unique to Hong Kong.”

The encounter between the pan-democrats and Zhang took place yesterday before a formal banquet hosted by the Hong Kong government in Zhang’s honour, which the pan-democrats boycotted on grounds that direct talks with Zhang were not possible in such a setting.

The pre-banquet cocktail ­reception lasted about one hour, longer than the scheduled 40 minutes. Some 20 legislators, district council chairmen and judges were invited.

Alan Leong of the Civic Party said he was not discouraged that Zhang had sidestepped many of the questions they raised. “It is something we can build on to move forward. It is the first time since the handover that we pan-democrats, as elected public representatives, can hold talks with a state leader face to face. We are also pleased to note that Zhang seemed to have agreed that there should be more such meetings in the future.”

Leong had earlier proposed the idea of setting up a Hongkong affairs conference to maintain direct contact between Beijing leaders and local politicians.