How Anson's legacy will flower

ANSON CHAN Fang On-sang may have said her farewells, given her valedictory speech, and bought the tickets for her post-retirement vacation. But make no mistake, the outgoing Chief Secretary for Administration is hoping to assert her influence in the development of Hong Kong after she officially retires today.

Although the chances of Mrs Chan challenging Tung Chee-hwa in the election for Chief Executive next spring are remote, she made it clear in her farewell address at the Asia Society that it would not be 'the last time I speak up for Hong Kong'.

Her robust remarks provided a list of benchmarks for the SAR. She seemed to make clear that she is determined to continue acting as a strong advocate of the values and systems that have - and will - make Hong Kong tick.

During nearly 38 years in the civil service, Mrs Chan has performed this role with great success, both at home and overseas, especially during the sensitive time around the 1997 transfer of sovereignty from Britain to China.

But her stance has proven to be something of a double-edged sword, earning her enemies as well as friends. The praise she attracted for her role as 'the conscience of Hong Kong' brought her a sense of achievement. But it was accompanied by a deeper sense of cynicism and suspicion about her political ambitions.

Rumours remain rife, particularly among some Beijing-friendly figures, that Mrs Chan could still pose a threat to Mr Tung in the race for Chief Executive. Mistrust of this kind among those who have the ears of Beijing has emerged as a significant factor in her apparent failure to present her views to China's leaders.