WHATEVER ITS undoubted merits, it is difficult to deny that there is something slightly strange about this week's keynote mission to China's western provinces being led by the head of the civil service.
After all, it is ostensibly a business trip aimed at drumming up support among local entrepreneurs for China's 'Go West' policy. And there can be little doubt that had Anson Chan Fang On-sang still been Chief Secretary for Administration, she would certainly not have seen it as part of her job to be heading this 282-strong delegation.
Part of the reason may be that Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who will lead the 10-day visit, has only been head of the civil service for a few weeks and shows signs of hankering after his old job as Financial Secretary.
For instance, he turned up at an international investors conference and delivered a keynote speech that overshadowed the appearance by his successor, Antony Leung Kam-chung. He has even managed to keep his grip on the Government's unemployment taskforce, which was always previously the responsibility of the Financial Secretary but will now be run out of the Chief Secretary's office.
Ever eager to appear humble, Mr Tsang told legislators on Friday he had wanted to relinquish leadership of the 'Go West' trip to Mr Leung. But he added that Tung Chee-hwa had insisted Mr Tsang remain in charge, since he had already done the preparatory work for it before becoming Chief Secretary.
Whatever the explanation, some observers are already suggesting that Mr Tsang is heading for a major bust-up with his successor as Financial Secretary if he continues to stray into Mr Leung's turf so often.