Post-Mortem on Zhang Visit

Zhang Dejiang (left) gave a conciliatory stance  -- or was it an act?

For once, a student activist and a pro-Beijing veteran agreed on something -- that the four pan-democratic lawmakers who met with Chairman of the National People's Congress Zhang Dejiang on Wednesday evening before a banquet -- should not have asked for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying to be removed from office.

Joshua Wong Chi-fung, secretary general of Demosisto, said he felt uncomfortable about asking for Leung to be removed.

Four pan-democratic lawmakers saw Zhang on Wednesday

"It seems they ignored the electoral system in Hong Kong," he said on RTHK this morning. "I think pan-democrats should have focused on Hong Kong people's demand for universal suffrage and self-determination... because it's the political system's fault, not just a person's."

Meanwhile, Cheng Yiu-tong said on TVB that he heard the pan-democrats "telling Zhang to stop Leung from seeking re-election" next March.

"They should not say that because they are popularly elected lawmakers... Re-election is also Leung's personal choice," said the local deputy to the NPC.

They both have a point.

 Wong says the four shoul have pushed for universal suffrage

However, Labour Party lawmaker Cyd Ho Sau-lan clarified on Commercial Radio what they talked about with Zhang.

"What we said was that Leung caused social divisions and it would be inappropriate for him to seek another term," she said. "We also mentioned that the problematic electoral system should be reformed."

Democratic Party's Emily Lau Wai-hing said she told Zhang it was inappropriate for Leung to govern Hong Kong.

Was this a constructive conversation? Or was Zhang just paying lip service to these lawmakers?

Knowing Zhang and how he handled the 2003 SARS crisis and had the gall to suggest that Guangdong (when he was governor) and Hong Kong cooperated closely on dealing with the outbreak.

Cheng says the four shouldn't have said Leung should go

That was hardly true, with China not even acknowledging at first there was a problem, resulting in 1,755 people infected, and 299 who died.

So do you trust Zhang with sincerely listening to people and willing to take action in the best interests of Hong Kong than the Party?