Regina Ip all but confirms her run for Hong Kong chief executive
Ex-security minister says she will announce her bid ‘in due course’ after being probed at forum
Pro-establishment lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee all but confirmed her intention on Monday to stand for chief executive, saying she would announce her candidacy “in due course”, but she refused to confirm reports about resigning from the Executive Council in two weeks to run for the city’s top job.
Another hotly-tipped candidate, Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, remained tight-lipped about his intentions during a business trip to Beijing on Monday for talks with officials.
Tsang’s colleague, government No 2 Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, declared yet again that she had no more political ambitions, and appeared to choke with emotion when speaking of her “vision” for Hong Kong.
At a forum on Monday, former security minister Ip was caught off guard by former Legislative Council president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing when he asked if she would quit Leung Chun-ying’s cabinet. Tsang said he had heard that Ip would do so on December 14. A notice was issued to members of her New People’s Party earlier informing them of an extraordinary general meeting that day.
“Don’t poke fun at me and put me in a difficult position,” the party chairwoman replied to Tsang.