China and the leader of Hong Kong have invited some of the city's newly elected pro-democracy legislators for talks, apparently seeking reconciliation and co-operation, officials said on Thursday.
Beijing was likely to pursue a policy of reconciliation with Hong Kong's pro-democracy political groups as it seeks to boost its popularity in the prosperous city, an analyst said.
In another move to ease tension, Hong Kong's Beijing-appointed leader, Tung Chee-hwa, said he would not for now consider introducing an anti-subversion law that he shelved last year after it sparked widespread opposition.
The former British colony was promised a high degree of autonomy when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997 but tension has arisen between pro-democracy politicians and the city's Beijing-backed government, largely over concerns freedoms were being curtailed.
China's liaison office in Hong Kong, which represents the Beijing government, has invited four newly elected lawmakers from the moderate pro-democracy Article 45 Concern Group for talks, members told Reuters.
The group is dominated by lawyers and is seen as more moderate than some other parties in the democracy camp.
Group member Alan Leong said officials from the liaison office, which represents the Beijing government in Hong Kong, would meet him and two colleagues on Friday, and had invited a fourth member for talks at another time.
The group wants more democracy for Hong Kong, and all voters in the city of 7 million people to be allowed to elect directly their leader in 2007, and all lawmakers in 2008.
Beijing, which analysts say is concerned a rapid increase in democracy in Hong Kong lead to similar demands on the mainland, ruled out those possibilities in April.
In Sunday's Legislative Council election, pro-democracy groups won 25 of the 60 seats, short of the near majority it had hoped to gain but more than the 22 seats it previously held.
China's communist leaders have avoided talks with Hong Kong's pro-democracy figures and Beijing has long barred most from visiting the mainland. But it has allowed members of Leong's group to attend a few state-organised events.
Chief Executive Tung invited legislators from the Democratic Party, the main pro-democracy party, for talks after he earlier pledged to pursue a closer relationship with the Legislative Council.
The chairman of the Democratic Party welcomed Tung's declaration that he would not launch a fresh attempt to introduce unpoplar anti-subversion legislation, and said he also anticipated talks with Chinese officials.
"We are confident that we will have communication with them," party chairman Yeung Sum said.
A political analyst said Beijing was aiming to win the support of the people of Hong Kong.
"China is trying to show it continues to seek conciliation with democrats," said Timothy Wong, a political analyst at the Chinese University.
"China knows Hong Kong people want to see conciliation and it wants to win their applause," he said. Better relations with pro-democracy groups would also facilitate the implementation of Beijing's policies for Hong Kong, he said.
But he said Beijing was unlikely to give way on major issues, such as allowing Hong Kong universal suffrage, any time soon.