At his most affable, as he appeared before US television audiences in an interview with ABC News, Lu Ping is reassuring. His comments on Hong Kong's continued democratic development; on the right of the Democratic Party to contest future elections; on free speech and even the handover ceremony were all sensible and inspiring.
The Chinese, said Mr Lu, were not afraid of democracy. A new legislature, elected according to the Basic Law, would be in place at the end of 1998. The ultimate aim was to have a legislature and Chief Executive elected by universal suffrage.
If one is looking for messages of hope, these are the kind of assurances one will want to hear. It is positive that Mr Lu feels relaxed enough on American television to allow himself to be interviewed in English, and to make promises which he must know will be used against him should China fail to deliver. He did not have to give this interview.
But what a pity it is that he could not be so relaxed and informal when he was in Hong Kong last month. It is that contrast between his openness with the American media and his defensiveness here which raises some of the biggest questions. Why was Mr Lu not confident or generous enough to deliver the same messages of hope and reassurance to those who most wanted to hear them? If China is not afraid of democracy, why has it not been spreading the word with more conviction in Hong Kong? Inevitably Mr Lu's words will be scrutinised here with more care than by his American TV audience. Hong Kong people will want to understand what he means when he says there will be freedom of speech but actions must be according to the law. Mr Lu says the laws in force will be Hong Kong's, not Chinese. But the Basic Law also stipulates that the Special Administrative Region must introduce laws prohibiting acts of subversion and preventing political ties with foreign organisations. The Bill of Rights itself is under threat. A word or two of explanation would be of enormous value in Hong Kong.
As Chinese officials never tire of repeating, actions speak louder than words. It is gratifying that Mr Lu shows his concern overseas; but if he made his peace with Democrats and shook hands with the Governor well in advance of the handover ceremony, the satisfaction in Hong Kong would be all the greater.
