Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying visited Beijing’s official organ in Hong Kong on Wednesday. However, the government said it was unable to produce records of such meetings.
It was the first public visit to Sai Wan’s China Liaison Office since Leung became a vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in March.
He was greeted by the Office’s Director Zhang Xiaoming at the door at around 5pm, as they shook hands and allowed media to take photos.
Leung did not respond to questions from reporters after staying at the Office for around 90 minutes. Zhang personally saw him out as the meeting ended.
The Chief Executive’s Office said in a statement that the chief executive and Hong Kong officials meet with offices of the central government in Hong Kong from time to time, to exchange views on issues within the scope of powers and responsibilities of the central authorities, and issues on the co-operation and mutual development between Hong Kong and the mainland.
Sources at the Chief Executive’s Office told Ming Pao that it was a regular visit to exchange views on finance, the economy and affairs between Hong Kong and the mainland.
Leung came under heavy fire five years ago when he visited the Office the day after he was elected. The timing gave the impression that support from the Office led to his election, but Leung denied the claims.
Meanwhile, Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok Wing-hang requested records of exchanges between the chief executive and Liaison Office officials.
He made the request at a special Finance Committee session of the Legislative Council where lawmakers can ask for details related to the annual budget.
Alice Lau Yim, Permanent Secretary at the Chief Executive’s Office, told Kwok that Leung had meetings with the Liaison Office, but it was unable to provide the number of meetings held and the content of the meetings.
Kwok said the information should be simple to find out by checking the Leung’s daily log.
But Lau said the chief executive met lots of different kinds of people, that it was difficult to confirm if Leung met with Liaison Office officials on different occasions.
Kwok, in response, said: “You should have such information, you just don’t look for it.”
