Will Tang stay in politics? Allies give conflicting views
With speculation swirling as to whether or not defeated candidate for chief executive Henry Tang Ying-yen will stay in politics, supporters of the failed chief executive candidate have given different accounts of his plans.
Supporter Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung said yesterday he had met Tang last week and 'to my understanding, he is still very keen on serving Hong Kong, but he has not decided in what capacity to do so'.
This contrasted with remarks by another supporter, Lam Tai-fai, who said on Thursday that Tang would 'quit the political arena completely', without even accepting the consolation prize of a seat on the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body.
Tang himself has said little, but hinted after meeting chief executive-elect Leung Chun-ying on April 30 that he would stay in politics but wanted to try 'new channels'.
Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, an Economic Synergy lawmaker, said he doubted Tang would quit the political arena completely, because 'the social, economic and political arenas are entwined and interconnected'.
He said he had not heard the former chief secretary say he was considering running for a Legislative Council seat in September.
'As for the CPPCC, it is too early and I do not think it is something he can decide right now,' Lam said.
Tang was long seen as Beijing's favourite for the top job, but his popularity plunged as scandals came to light in the run-up to the vote, and he ended up losing by a wide margin.
But Jeffrey Lam said Tang, at present in the United States, did not seem disillusioned about politics, adding: 'I think you will still see him around quite a lot in the future.'
He did not rule out discussing him co-operating with Economic Synergy because Tang possessed 'a good personal network'.
Lam Tai-fai said on Thursday that Tang would not run for a Legco seat, join or form any think tank or political party or accept any offer of a CPPCC role. Tang had told him he would only work for charity.
Tang was secretary of commerce, industry and technology in 2002. A year later, he was promoted to financial secretary. He was appointed chief secretary in 2007, a job he held until he resigned in September to run for chief executive. He was a legislator in the 1990s.
A spokeswoman for Tang's former election office said she had no idea about his future plans.
