The perfect opportunity
New Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen handled himself well in Beijing during the swearing-in ceremony on Friday, and in his subsequent meetings with Premier Wen Jiabao and President Hu Jintao .
For one thing, he was evidently sincere when he repeatedly declared that he would not let down the central government or the people of Hong Kong in the next two years, but would do his best to improve governance and promote a harmonious and prosperous society. Central government leaders no doubt hope that, this time, they have picked the right person to run Hong Kong, a city whose success is of great importance to China from both a symbolic and a practical standpoint.
It was also impressive that Mr Tsang seized this opportunity to discuss with the central government a case that has been in the forefront of the minds of many people in Hong Kong: the plight of Straits Times correspondent Ching Cheong, who has been held since April 22 on the mainland and now faces charges of espionage.
While those who presented petitions to Mr Tsang may have wanted him to bring up the case directly with either Mr Wen or Mr Hu, it was understandable that he considered this inappropriate. Instead, he brought it up with the head of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Liao Hui .
Mr Tsang said he had told Mr Liao of Hongkongers' concerns about the case, and Mr Liao himself said he would follow the situation closely. Mr Tsang also voiced the hope that the matter would be resolved according to law as soon as possible.
Actually, the Ching case is a wonderful opportunity for the new chief executive to demonstrate how he intends to serve the people of Hong Kong, especially those who get into trouble on the mainland. It is right to show respect for mainland legal procedures but, that said, there is still much that Mr Tsang can do.
For one thing, he can hold a meeting with Ching's wife, Mary Lau Man-yee, who wrote to him when he was acting chief executive. At that time, Mr Tsang declined her request for a meeting. He explained later that the Chief Executive's Office received letters from several hundred people every week, and that it was not possible to see every one of them.
No leader can see everyone who wants to see him, of course. But a leader has to decide which cases deserve his personal attention. To say that he cannot see everyone does not mean that he can see no one. It means that he must have a sense of priority, rather than simply pass all cases on to the bureaucracy to handle.
It is true that, at that time, Mr Tsang was about to resign as acting chief executive and run for the full-time job. So he may not have acted as he would have under other circumstances.
Well, those other circumstances have arrived. Mr Tsang is now in a position to receive Ms Lau and show his personal concern for her welfare. He can also brief her on his conversation with Mr Liao. That would certainly be appropriate.
Beijing, too, is probably eager to help Mr Tsang establish his credentials with the people of Hong Kong. In fact, it may not be too far-fetched to envisage a situation whereby the central government sees that freeing Ching would not only improve its own image in Hong Kong, but also help to bolster the standing of its new man in the special administrative region.
Mr Tsang will be in a much better position to discharge his responsibilities to Beijing if he is first seen, in Hong Kong, as someone who discharges his responsibilities to the people of Hong Kong.
Frank Ching is a Hong Kong-based writer and commentator
