41.   The protesters wanted the government to make special arrangements with mainland officials to quickly issue them permits to allow them to live in Hong Kong.

42.   They chanted slogans and requested mainland government officials and Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to receive their petitions.

43.   Fung said the two mainland officials included Hu Hanxiang, head of the Water Transport Department of the Ministry of Communications.

44.   He declined to say whether he would meet mainland officials during his stay.

45.   He admitted that he had often met privately with mainland officials.

46.   Hong Kong and mainland officials met last week in Beijing to discuss closer economic and trade cooperation between the two sides including the possibility of a free trade zone.

47.   However Kuo said he would not hold any talks, especially on political matters, with mainland officials.

48.   According to Ming Pao, mainland officials in Hong Kong were ordered to take no leave from April.

49.   But in recent years, the Taiwan government has eased hostility and started letting mainland Chinese officials attend international events.

50.   China will tighten security in the run-up to the handover in Hong Kong to prevent mainland officials flocking to the territory, a Hong Kong newspaper said Thursday.