Chief executive-elect is definitely in tune with China's new national agenda
The outpouring of concern about the election of Leung Chun-ying as chief executive is understandable, but it seems most of his detractors are missing the bigger picture.
Understanding what is happening in China as a whole is far more important than worrying whether Leung might undermine our rights under 'one country, two systems'.
Leung is taking office at an important time in China's evolution, which includes Hong Kong, Macau and, yes, Taiwan. We should be relieved that we have him, rather than his election rival, charting Hong Kong's passage through the next five years, until the introduction of universal suffrage in the chief executive election.
These times require a change agent at the helm, not a member of the old guard.
Indeed, it appears a new era is dawning in China's governance, driven by people who see the need to reform the country's economic and political institutions - including a 'one country, two places' model that would allow Taiwan to co-exist in peace and security with the rest of the Chinese people, and genuine grass-roots elections in places such as Wukan.
Changes are not going to be revolutionary, but they are pointing in a positive direction - towards the empowerment of the consumer and, therefore, the eventual political constituent.
Leung's decision to visit the central government's liaison office, and then visit mass housing estates, shows that he is in tune with this new national agenda.
The age of the tycoons is clearly drawing to a close, and the rise of people power is inevitable in Hong Kong. Leung gets it.
To be sure, businessmen like Li Ka-shing have played a valuable role in the country's journey since 1992, when Deng Xiaoping toured southern China, and since the 1997 resumption of Chinese sovereignty over Hong Kong. But it is time for a new generation of social and political leaders to come to the fore - people who recognise that our future is in the hands of the 99 per cent rather than the 1 per cent.
Leung should be given a chance to show what he can do in this endeavour.
The era has come; let's see if the man has, too.
Anthony Lawrance, Discovery Bay
