Hong Kong must focus on finding a leader to heal the political rifts, not hugs and handshakes
Alice Wu says political reform is not the only problem for a restless and desperate Hong Kong, and chief executive candidates will need to have a road map for cooperation as well as Beijing’s trust
Judging by some messages I’ve been receiving and posts shared by friends on social media, Christmas came early for a lot of people. Some actually cracked open the champagne following Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s jaw-dropping announcement that he will not seek re-election. Leung arrived at his decision after weighing his responsibilities to the community against his responsibilities as a father and husband – it is an honourable one and, for that, we must let his family life stay private.
There really is no point, either, in arguing about whether his is now effectively a lame-duck administration. The expiration of a term of office, whether by choice or term restrictions or an election loss, is a reality. But, without the need to run an election campaign, Leung may even be able to accomplish more.
In theory, it would be possible; though it would be naive to assume it would be easy, especially in the current political environment. In a way, this serves as a sobering reminder that however much some of us may think Leung is the big problem, that’s simply not true.
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Posters of John Tsang and Carrie Lam, now likely contenders for the top job, and one of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, are held up by members of the Alliance for Universal Pension and the Society for Community Organisation as they call for universal retirement protection in April. Photo: Sam Tsang
Ahead of the chief executive election, we’ve been on the lookout for the “symbolic handshake” that first made its way into our politics back in 1996, when then president Jiang Zemin ( 江澤民 ) singled out Tung Chee-hwa, who eventually became our first chief executive, at a Beijing gathering for a handshake.
Tung’s successor was offered a firm shake by Jiang’s successor in 2005. Yet, for John Tsang Chun-wah, greeted with two presidential handshakes – in June last year at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank meeting in Beijing and, again, this September at the G20 Hangzhou meeting – the “blessing” is still up in the air.
Tung Chee-hwa shakes hands with then president Jiang Zemin after taking the oath for his second term as chief executive at the Convention and Exhibition Centre, during ceremonies to mark the fifth anniversary of the handover, on July 1, 2002. Photo: Antony Dickson
