New People’s Party Chair Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee is suspected to have paid a visit to the China Liaison Office a day after her legislative election victory on Sunday.
The alleged visit came as fellow pro-Beijing candidate Junius Ho Kwan-yiu thanked the office after winning his seat, adding that he would offer his gratitude in person.
The China Liaison Office is an organ of the Beijing government in Hong Kong. It is perceived by pan-democrats to be interfering in Hong Kong affairs and elections.
A car with a number plate attributed to Ip was photographed by Ming Pao at 5pm on Monday. It entered the Liaison Office premises in Sheung Wan and remained there for around 50 minutes. No passengers were photographed in the vehicle as black curtains were drawn around the passenger seats.
When the newspaper enquired with Ip about the visit, she said that she had instructed a driver to pass on a book she published during the this year’s book fair, and that she was not physically in the car.
She further claimed that she gifts books to Liaison Office officials every year, saying that she was busy with the election this year and so had waited until the election was over.
Correction 9/9: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that a car with a number plate attributed to Ip was photographed by Ming Pao at 5pm on Sunday. In fact, it was photographed at 5pm on Monday.
