MR CHAN KIN-POR (in Cantonese): Deputy President, there are many ways of communication. If one way does not work, you can try other ones. One of the important aims of communication is to show sincerity and to strengthen mutual trust. Has the Government taken any action which helps improve mutual relationship? For example, has it arranged all Members to have a study tour in the Mainland and to meet the high officials, or to negotiate with the Central Authorities so that those Legislative Council Members who do not have Home Visit Permits can obtain theirs?
SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND MAINLAND AFFAIRS (in Cantonese): Deputy President, we have been encouraging various sectors of the community, including Legislative Council Members, to get to know our country’s development comprehensively and deeply, which includes the challenges and difficulties faced by the country, and the opportunities for future development of the country. In fact, the Chief Executive and the HKSAR have always been actively arranging visits and exchanges in the Mainland for Legislative Council Members, as well as meetings with the officials of the Central Authorities.
Please allow me to quote an example. In the course of promoting constitutional development over the past two years, we have arranged a number of opportunities for Legislative Council Members to meet officials of the Central Authorities in Hong Kong and in the Mainland. In the interim, there were also officials of the Central Authorities coming to Hong Kong to explain the matters concerning constitutional reform. As another more recent example, the Legislative Council Panel on Development has proposed lately to visit Dongjiang of the Guangdong Province in order to understand the situation concerning Dongjiang water. I notice that our colleagues have quickly relayed their view to the authorities and have obtained a very affirmative and positive reply.
All these examples show that the Chief Executive and the HKSAR have always been playing the role of a facilitator. We will continue to do so in the future. In regard to the issue of Home Visit Permits, the Chief Executive has actually been making efforts to strive for the issuance of Home Visit Permits to those Legislative Council Members who have not had theirs yet. The Chief Executive will continue to work hard on this.