Highlighting his transformation from civil servant to political leader, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen filled in 'politician' as his occupation when he formally entered the chief executive election race. During his campaign, and on his return from Beijing following his official appointment, he made a point of meeting and talking to ordinary people on the street.
Like former governor Chris Patten, Mr Tsang munched egg tarts and exchanged light-hearted remarks with dim sum restaurant customers. As a local, he possesses assets that Mr Patten did not - a childhood in the city and an ordinary Hongkonger's amazing success story.
Mr Tsang wants to govern with 'people-based' principles, and strives for excellence. In fact, better governance is the first of his three priority areas: the other two are greater social harmony and stronger economic performance. While people obviously want economic prosperity and a stable society, Mr Tsang understands that governance lies at the heart of the matter.
His leadership style may remind us of Mr Patten's approach, and perhaps the style of most politicians. But Mr Tsang's declared approach to governance - consistent, predictable, with a good consultative network and broad representation in the Executive Council - resembles that of the pre-Patten colonial days. His people-based principles are designed to make the executive-led government sensitive and responsive to the views of the community, but it is not quite democratic rule. Is Mr Tsang taking us back to the good old colonial days, when Hong Kong prospered under a benevolent but dictatorial government, with well-run bureaucratic machinery responsive to public needs?
To be fair, he obviously realises that Hong Kong is a very different place today. In his election platform, Mr Tsang highlighted the importance of accountability and transparency. He also accepted that the government would need wider and deeper support from the legislature and political parties, and that the role of the legislature in formulating policy should be strengthened.
Mr Tsang's election platform addressed most of the key principles of good governance - similar to those developed by well-established international agencies such as the UN Development Programme and the World Bank.