Vice-president Xi Jinping must have disappointed political punters who hoped he would shed some light on the uncertainties surrounding the chief executive race. He stopped short of commenting on individual candidates openly, which would be seen as an indication of Beijing's choice of the city's next leader. Instead, he urged people to stay united like brothers. The remarks are timely food for thought during this tumultuous time for Hong Kong. Speaking to local delegates to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference on Sunday, Xi reportedly called for 'better unity in Hong Kong to face future development problems'. He cited the Chinese saying 'when two brothers are of the same mind, their sharpness can cut through metal'. His message may appear to merely echo the nation's long-standing policy of fostering stability and progress. But it seems an unlikely coincidence that he would flag the importance of unity when the city is going through its most turbulent time since the Article 23 crisis, when 500,000 protesters took to the streets on July 1, 2003 against former executive Tung Chee-hwa's leadership.

Politically, the chief executive race has degenerated into ugly mud-slinging, while the outgoing leader has become the subject of an anti-bribery investigation. The turmoil has even fuelled debates on whether Hong Kong was a better place under British rule. Socially, the tension between locals and mainlanders continues, with both trading insults over issues like opening up the city to drivers from across the border and mainland pregnant women taking up local hospital beds.

Thousands took to the street over the weekend. The boiling public sentiment is reminiscent of the circumstances leading up to the 2003 protest, which led to Tung's downfall. It is only natural that Beijing would be wary of another crisis at a time of leadership change. Xi's unity call is therefore a timely reminder for the people to get through these unsettled times and work together on the challenges ahead.