The vote of confidence has reinforced the chief executive's status, say analysts, but its lack of comment on the issue of universal suffrage still leaves him in an untenable political position
The strong support bestowed on Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa and the economic advantages offered by the central government will only offer temporary respite from the political crisis facing Hong Kong and will not win public support, politicians and academics said last night.
Political commentators said the high-level reception Mr Tung received in the capital had dashed activists' hopes that Mr Tung might step down, while other lawmakers welcomed the vote of confidence from the central government.
Pro-democracy legislators also said the central government's strong references yesterday to any outside or foreign forces intervening in Hong Kong's internal affairs stemmed from the large turn-out in the three rallies this month and also strong opposition voiced by foreign nations on the Article 23 legislation.
The Frontier's Lee Cheuk-yan, of the Civil Human Rights Front, which organised the July 1 and July 9 protests, said Mr Tung had failed to convey truly the message of the Hong Kong people to the central government.
He said this was reflected in the failure to respond to people's demand for universal suffrage. 'The main result of the trip is that Mr Tung's status is reinforced by the central government's strong support. But he [Mr Tung] should realise that they had no option,' Mr Lee said.
'Hong Kong people hope to have direct election of the chief executive and the legislature, but the central government does not respond to this demand.'
