Hong Kong leadership contender John Tsang walking a fine line in trying to please all
In reaching out for support from the pan-democrats, the former financial secretary risks alienating his backers in the pro-establishment camp
John Tsang Chun-wah’s charm offensive to win the hearts and minds of people outside the pro-establishment camp was warmly received by pan-democrats on Monday.
But whether his carefully crafted platform for the chief executive election will cost him the support of pro-government figures and he ends up pleasing nobody are the big questions for his camp going into the nomination period next week.
The former financial secretary pledged to restart the electoral reform process and adopted a fairly lenient approach towards reviving legislative work to implement Article 23 of the Basic Law, a move seen by Beijing as the city’s constitutional duty to safeguard national security.
Tsang, who had earlier said it would be irresponsible for the next administration to restart the political reform process if the political climate remained unchanged, made a U-turn by promising to relaunch the process “with the greatest determination and courage” should he be elected.
“Before the realisation of ‘dual universal suffrage’ [for election of chief executive and all lawmakers], the debate on political reform will not abate. There will be continual challenge to the government’s legitimacy; and the policies to improve livelihoods and promote economic development will be scuttled by political debates,” he said.
In June 2015, the Hong Kong government’s proposal for the 2017 chief executive election – which followed Beijing’s framework under which Hongkongers would choose from two or three candidates endorsed by a 1,200-strong nominating committee – was voted down in the Legislative Council.
Tsang did not mention the restrictive framework laid down by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee in 2014 in his 73-page platform.