Those who believe the Government can never get it right, when it comes to public relations, will have to think again in the light of the way its controversial share-buying spree has proved such an unexpected success with the Hong Kong public.
A policy that has badly damaged the SAR's reputation overseas and may yet have severe long-term repercussions has nonetheless been a short-term presentational success on the domestic front. 'The Government has done such a great job in terms of PR that anyone who dares to raise an objection comes in for severe criticism,' complained Democratic Party legislator Fred Li Wah-ming.
'I don't know whether the Government has scored a victory. But, at least, they've done so much in the media that no member dare say they opposed this idea,' he added, during a council panel meeting that saw surprisingly muted criticism.
A fortnight ago this would have been inconceivable, as large sections of the media - including this column - denounced the administration's intervention in the stock and futures markets. One popular magazine even called it 'Hong Kong's suicide'. Pro-democracy politicians rushed to add their condemnations while many government supporters kept a low profile.
By this week it was a different story. Those previously unsure how far to back the administration were effusive in their praise while the democratic camp was forced on the defensive.
Democratic Party Chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming pointedly failed to repeat his previous denunciations of the intervention in this week's panel meetings. Instead he confined his criticism to the lateness of new steps to tighten control over the stock and futures markets. Had these been in place earlier, he complained, there would have been no need for a share-buying spree.