Hong Kong lawmaker James Tien: no need for Liberal Party to coordinate with pro-Beijing allies on elections

The Liberal Party has no plans to coordinate with its pro-establishment allies to avoid election clashes in the Legislative Council next year, according to the party’s outspoken leader.

James Tien Pei-chun, honorary chairman of the Liberal Party, said there was no need to have such coordination in Legco races, which adopted the proportional representation electoral system, as a candidate could win a seat simply by securing some 10 per cent of votes in a constituency.

“We are not taking away votes from pan-democratic or pro-establishment camps, only from our supporters,” Tien told DBC radio on Friday morning, adding that his party was targeting seven seats. At present the party has five lawmakers.

Tien was speaking in the wake of an apparent rift within the pro-Beijing camp of parties. His party colleague Tommy Cheung Yu-yan decided to give up his bid for Legco’s house committee chairmanship, the chamber’s number two position, after failing to secure enough support.

Lawmaker Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, formerly of the Liberal Party and now leader of the Business and Professionals Alliance, has already helmed the legislature’s house committee for three years and looks set to remain in the post.

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Tien said he did not understand the remarks by New People’s Party lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, who earlier said she would consult with the government to gauge its opinions on candidates for the chairmanship.