Lai See

Lexus leung rides again

Hong Kong's most elusive man seems to have finally come up for air. Antony Leung Kam-chung has barely been spotted in Hong Kong since the mid-December decision not to prosecute him over the car-gate scandal.

The former financial secretary went to ground during the media frenzy leading up to the decision and made a hasty getaway from Hong Kong in the aftermath.

Last month he was shopping in Beijing, presumably on a family trip with his diving diva wife Fu Mingxia, but even close friends have not heard from him since.

Thus Lai See was intrigued to receive a confirmed sighting of the ex-banker having a power breakfast in the Mandarin Grill on Tuesday morning. Dressed in Chinos and a navy blue blazer he appeared in the best of spirits.

Speculation about his career prospects have divided Hong Kong political dinner tables with some dubbing him damaged goods while others think his clean bill of health from the Secretary of Justice leaves open the possibility a high-profile business post.

Hanging out in the dealmakers breakfast room of choice suggests he may not be gardening forever.

Risk suits SMIC

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) has outlined a full and frank list of risk factors for its forthcoming dual listing. Among the long list of things that could go wrong we were intrigued to see a return of Sars listed. An outbreak in a hermitically-sealed foundry would indeed be a worry. It does, however, beg the question of what those gleaming white spaceman suits are good for.