Before Beijing announced the change in Hong Kong's election process at the end of last month, a senior Beijing official in the city met with pro-democracy activists, whose insistence on a full democracy have enraged China's communist hardliners.

The meeting was held  on Aug. 19 in a room with a calm setting, contrary to the tension-filled mood outside, where thousands of pro-democratic protesters were threatening to close the city's global financial hub, if China refused to grant Hong Kong the freedom to choose its own leader.

Like Us on Facebook

After the customary handshakes, the room was suddenly filled with tension when lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Leung Yiu-chung asked Zhang Xiaoming, head of Hong Kong's China Liaison Office, whether Beijing will let a democrat run for the highest seat in the city.

"The fact that you are allowed to stay alive, already shows the country's inclusiveness," the 51-year-old Zhang replied, according to two attendees of the meeting who refused to be named.

During the meeting Zhang reportedly said that Democrats were lucky that China even permits them to run for lower positions, adding that the next leader must be a "patriot."

Zhang's office refused to answer any requests for comments regarding the incident.

In the perception of many, Zhang's statement has eliminated any hope that China will find a common ground with Hong Kong on the issue of democracy.

After a century and a half of being a British colony, Hong Kong became a Special Adminstrative Region in 1997 and started existing under a "one country, two systems" rule.

Over the past 17 years, both sides have been debating what it meant having a separate system, wherein China is emphasizing "one country" while the pro-democrats in Hong Kong stressed the "two systems."

Beijing has been preventing the former British colony from acquiring a democratic system because of fears that it may lead to other regions seeking such a system. But Hong Kong is pushing for free elections in order to instill  sense of responsibility in its leaders and to restore the British instituted rule of law that they have been used to.

At present, the pro-Democrats said that China will allow them to vote for the next leader, but Beijing will have to choose the candidates.

In the wake of China's announcement regarding the change in Hong Kong's election process, a senior Beijing official in the city held a meeting with pro-democracy activists, which enraged China's communist hardliners.

The meeting was held  on Aug. 19 in a room with a calm setting, contrary to the tension-filled mood outside, which is full of pro-democratic protesters threatening to close the city's global financial hub, if China refused to grant Hong Kong the freedom to choose its own leader.

After the customary handshakes, the room was suddenly filled with tension when lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Leung Yiu-chung asked Zhang Xiaoming, head of Hong Kong's China Liaison Office, whether Beijing will let a democrat run for the highest seat in the city.

"The fact that you are allowed to stay alive, already shows the country's inclusiveness," the 51-year-old Zhang replied, according to two attendees of the meeting who refused to be named.

During the meeting Zhang reportedly said that Democrats were lucky that China even permits them to run for lower positions, adding that the next leader must be a "patriot."

Zhang's office refused to answer any requests for comments regarding the incident.

In the perception of many, Zhang's statement has eliminated any hope that China will find a common ground with Hong Kong on the issue of democracy.

TagsHong Kong, Hong Kong pro-democracy, politics