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Anson Chan Fang On-sang  will be taking to the streets on July 1 to  boost the spirits of marchers in a pro-democracy rally that is being overshadowed by an increasingly popular chief executive.

Mrs Chan's announcement came on the  day Donald Tsang Yam-kuen  celebrated his first anniversary as chief executive. Mr Tsang was sworn in by Beijing on June 24 last year.

'I have decided to march on  July 1. I encourage people from all levels of society, if they support democracy and open elections, to join the march,' she said.

'I feel this is not an easy road and that maybe there will be many difficulties along the way. But as long as we are alive there is hope. There is power in the masses. '

Denying her  decision to take part in the rally had to do with pleas by the democracy camp for help, she said she would be marching with her family and not politicians.

'Nobody invited me. I listen to many points of view but in the end the decision was made by me,' the former chief secretary said.

'Since universal suffrage was rejected there has been a feeling of helplessness. [But]  people should not give up.'

Her announcement came as Mr Tsang pledged to transform himself from a 'detached', rational thinker to a man of the people.

'I love Hong Kong people. In the coming year, I shall devote more time to my walkabouts, to meeting more people and to learning your faces by heart,' he said on RTHK's Hong Kong Letter.

'Next time you see someone who looks like me eating a steaming bowl of beef brisket noodles ... don't just wonder: 'Is that Bow-tie Tsang?' Say hello and have a chat.'

With the chief executive's popularity rising - 75.7 per cent of the public say they would  back his re-election, a poll shows  - the democracy camp has been suffering a slump   it hopes Mrs Chan can cure.

'Donald Tsang enjoys high popularity.  It is inevitable the pro-democracy camp feels despair. Having a former senior official join will definitely stimulate morale,' Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing-tat said.

The Civic Party's Ronny Tong Ka-wah  added: 'Last time she announced she would join one day in advance, but this time she announced it one week before, giving Hong Kong more time to digest and mobilise people to join.'

Still,  political analysts believe Mrs Chan has no plans to run for chief executive.

'I think the chance of her running is close to zero. If she didn't get elected she would lose the halo above her head. The central government will not listen to her and her public influence would disappear,' Lingnan University  professor Li Pang-kwong said.

A government spokesman said it was aware of the public's aspirations for democratic development and was handling the situation  accordingly.



Anson Chan to march on July 1 in bid to boost numbers