The tone was decisive, the presentation slick. Donald Tsang Yam-kuen projected an image fitting the central theme of his maiden policy address - strong governance.
It remains to be seen whether he will be able to live up to this promise. But the speech, both in style and substance, succeeded in marking a departure from his predecessor, Tung Chee-hwa. Drawing on his profound knowledge of the government's operation, the former civil servant is overhauling the system from the bottom to the top. At the highest level, Mr Tsang will revamp the Executive Council by increasing the number of non-official members and restoring the policy co-ordinating roles of the chief secretary and financial secretary. The consultative machinery will be strengthened by expanding the Commission on Strategic Development and rejuvenating the membership of advisory boards and statutory bodies. At the local level, powers will be delegated to district councils to manage cultural and recreational facilities.
These reforms distinguish Mr Tsang from the thinking that underpinned Mr Tung's second term. In form and spirit, however, they harp back to the colonial era in which civil servants ran the government and its legitimacy to govern was built on a system of appointing elite members of the community to advisory bodies. Much will depend on the identity of the non-official Exco members he appoints. The test will be whether Exco becomes more broadly based and is given a stronger role in policymaking, as Mr Tsang has promised.
He clearly hopes the reforms will enable him and his administration to tap the views of the community and pre-empt divisive rows. They certainly have the potential to make the government more responsive to the people, which would be a positive development. But Mr Tsang would be wrong to think that such changes are a credible alternative to constitutional reform. The administrative absorption of politics worked in the days when the legislature was appointed. Now, our lawmakers are elected. And the community's call for a more representative form of government is strong.
The Basic Law stipulates that full democracy is the ultimate goal. The forthcoming report on constitutional reform should make significant progress towards that aim. Mr Tsang did not make any mention in his address of a bigger role for political parties. This, too, needs to be tackled.
cultivating harmony
In a bid to cultivate an atmosphere of social harmony, Mr Tsang had something for almost every disadvantaged group, from ethnic minorities to the disabled. He called on business to pay non-skilled workers market wages, agreed to subject himself to anti-bribery laws, and promised to introduce legislation to combat racial discrimination and anti-competitive business practices. These are all commendable moves.