Commissioner of the Office of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, Lu Xinhua, yesterday praised Chief Executive Donald Tsang's performance in leading economic and social development in Hong Kong.

His remarks echoed those of State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan and Li Gang, Deputy Director of the central government's Liaison Office in Hong Kong.

They had recently said Tsang's re-election would be in line with public opinion in Hong Kong.?

Yesterday Tsang continued his "courtesy visits" to political groups in seeking their support.

Following the visit of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong on Monday, Tsang went to the Liberal Party headquarters yesterday morning to exchange views with around 70 members of the party, of whom over 20 were members of the Election Committee (EC).

At the end of the hour-long meeting, party chairman James Tien handed to Tsang an envelope which contained nine nomination forms and that increased the number of nominations from Liberal Party members and allies to 110.

Addressing a press conference after Tsang had left, Tien said that they hoped to get closer with Tsang.

Later yesterday, Tsang met the 20 members from the EC's accounting subsector to get their support.

After the meeting, subsector member Tim Lui, former President of the Hong Kong Society of Accountants and currently its Taxation Committee chairman, disclosed that he had decided to nominate Tsang after reading the political platforms of both candidates because he thought Tsang was more capable in giving leadership to Hong Kong.

(China Daily HK Edition February 7, 2007)