Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. I refer to “John Lee clears key nomination hurdle for run at top job in Hong Kong” ( April 10 ). The Post is giving the impression that this is a genuine race, but it most definitely is no Grand National. There were 40 runners at the Aintree Racecourse in England on Saturday. The winner was a 50-to-1 outsider ridden by an amateur jockey in his final race, pushing the favourite that was ridden by a top professional jockey into second place. It is obvious there will be no such upset in the race for the position of Hong Kong’s chief executive, especially as it seems there will only be one runner. Political big guns and tycoons have already signed up to make it a “Happy Valley” for Mr John Lee Ka-chiu (“John Lee offers pragmatic new era”, April 10), who envisions himself as the conductor of a new orchestra. Another perspective for quite a few Hongkongers is of Mr Lee as frontman during the “rock ‘n’ roll” of 2019’s protests, where the music was more heavy metal and rap. Hopefully, Mr Lee’s results-oriented approach will be able to mirror the breadth and inclusiveness of Hong Kong as an international metropolis and his orchestrations will be broader than just security matters and the Greater Bay Area. P.C. Law, Quarry Bay World must beware of crumbling America There is little doubt the international system of politics, finance and culture has been shaped by the dominance of the United States. However, with the ongoing war in Ukraine and subsequent diplomatic and economic ripple effects, the dynamic of the US leading the international system with its ideals of Western liberal democracy is being questioned by some. Foreign policy failures in Afghanistan and eastern Europe play into the argument of the US not being an effective leader in global politics. This is coupled with the potential challenges to the US dollar that could arise within the energy industry as the rouble and yuan appear to be more attractive currencies to several states. As some markets and international forums are not convinced of a particular path forward, citizens must be aware of our realities. I encourage more conversation about the current structure of Western politics and how it affects the world at large. More so, everyone needs to take heed of how America is going to affect what they can put on their plates, what they can wear on their backs and what roof they can have over their heads. Jade-Mark Sonilal, University of the West Indies
