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Hong Kong notes improvement in Taiwan relations

Relations between Taiwan and Hong Kong are developing in a positive direction, a senior Hong Kong official said yesterday.

Speaking in a rare radio interview, Hong Kong Constitutional Affairs Bureau Director Stephen Lam (林瑞麟) said Hong Kong-Taiwan engagement is quite sensitive and thus requires time to be tackled, adding that bilateral ties are nevertheless proceeding in a constructive direction.

In the future, Lam said, his bureau will invite more Taiwanese celebrities to visit Hong Kong to give them a chance to better understand how Beijing's brand of "one country, two systems" works.

Meanwhile, Lam confirmed that Ping Lu (平路), the new director of the Kwang Hwa Information and Cultural Center, which represents the Government Information Office in Hong Kong, will arrive later this month to assume her post.

Ping Lu, a noted writer, obtained a working visa from Hong Kong authorities last November after waiting for nearly a year. She is scheduled to arrive in Hong Kong Jan. 23.

Lam replaced Paul Yip Kwok-wah (葉國華), former special adviser to Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa (董建華), to handle Hong Kong-Taiwan affairs last July.

This was the first time that Lam had publicly discussed ties between the two sides in a radio interview since he assumed the duty.

Even before Beijing took over Hong Kong in 1997, British colonial rulers also handled Hong Kong-Taiwan affairs with prudence.

Lam has kept a low profile since he took over the duty of dealing with Taiwan affairs. Political pundits in Hong Kong are still watching to see whether he will develop any contact with Taiwan's official representative in Hong Kong, Chang Liang-jen (張良任), whose formal title is managing director of the Chung Hwa Travel Service.
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