Hong Kong’s next leader Carrie Lam shows she has a mind of her own
Alice Wu says in just a week since her election, the chief executive-elect has shown that she does not need to be told what to do. And that message has been heard not just by the city’s people, but also Beijing
Even if the “race” was, for all intents and purposes, “predetermined”, now that the dust has settled, it would be wise perhaps for us to refrain from making prejudgments. Lam is most probably not going to enjoy a honeymoon period, something that is becoming less of a political entitlement nowadays anyway.
The fine line that separates healthy political scepticism and utterly demoralising fatalism may be hard to pinpoint, but for our sanity and the greater good, and not solely for Lam’s benefit, we must try to – as many say – “look forward”. Some may be tempted to stay bitter and angry, or to disengage, but that would only feed the spirit of resignation. And that would be the ultimate way of relinquishing the people’s power in this city’s future.
There are indeed things to “look forward” to.
On July 1, this city will also have our first female chief executive.
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There will be plenty of opportunities to judge, bang the gavel in the court of public opinion and hold Lam in collective contempt after she takes office. To Lam’s credit, she has, in the span of just one week, given us plenty of reasons to look forward to July 1 and beyond.
To get Beijing to publicly agree that she can run things her way was no easy feat
Lam also managed to distance herself from Beijing’s “tentacles” in Hong Kong. Moments after getting elected, she set the record straight over visits to the central government’s liaison office. Having seen and understood public anger over what is perceived to be Beijing’s interference in local affairs, she made it clear that her visits to the liaison office and other mainland agencies in the city would be courtesy calls, part of the official protocol – no more and no less.
Lam’s timing for getting that message across was perfect. She has shown herself to be more than just capable; she was level-headed, “neither defiant nor submissive”, to borrow a phrase by the late Lee Kuan Yew, who advised the iron lady Margaret Thatcher on how to work with Beijing.
Carrie Lam’s success depends on recognition of common interests
I am certain she has surprised not only Hongkongers. Lam is clearly set on showing that she does not need to be told what to do, and in today’s Hong Kong, that makes an outstanding statement.
It will also be interesting to see how the pro-establishment camp adjusts during this transition period.
Alice Wu is a political consultant and a former associate director of the Asia Pacific Media Network at UCLA
