Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa made a wise decision not to visit the United States before the handover, heeding aides' advice that he had nothing to sell.
But armed with the good news of a smooth transition, Mr Tung made his maiden trip as Hong Kong's new chief to the US last week. This time he had something to offer.
Mr Tung should not have been under any illusion that he could persuade his US hosts that the electoral plans for the first SAR legislature poll were acceptable.
Unfortunately, in trying to defend his electoral policy to the Americans, and justify his US trip to Hong Kong people, he made a mistake which he could have avoided.
In defending next year's electoral package, he told the US that the measured pace of democratisation that Hong Kong would have was in accordance with local people's wishes.
But in Hong Kong, a key complaint concerning next year's electoral arrangement is the Government's failure to properly consult the local community. Criticisms levelled at the different aspects of the electoral method were promptly rejected or evaded.
As local Democrats attacked the Government's plan to disenfranchise the SAR, Mr Tung chose to boast to his US audience that by 2004, the degree of democracy the SAR will enjoy would be greater than Hong Kong ever had in the 156 years of colonial rule.