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Tammy Tam
SCMP Columnist
City Beat
by Tammy Tam
City Beat
by Tammy Tam

Curtain raised for Hong Kong chief executive election race next March

While no one has yet said they will run, prospective candidates are beginning to sound like they have kicked off their campaigns

The big guessing game is on: who will run for Hong Kong’s top job next year?

Many are also asking why on earth anyone would want such an arduous yet thankless task, but the job still seems attractive enough, as the latest overtures of potential candidates take on increasingly campaign-style characteristics.

A closer look at their different strategies can therefore be quite telling.

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, despite revealing to the Post recently he would only make up his mind after September, is widely believed to be the most likely one to run. Being the incumbent is regarded as an advantage, but can also backfire since any public grievances over his government’s shortcomings and policies can be used as ammunition against him by his rivals.

However, Leung looks confident and his quite straightforward message is that his administration has been on the right track in tackling major livelihood problems, especially housing and poverty.

In the latest work report of his government, his last before the chief executive election next March, Leung listed out progress in terms of increasing land supply and reducing welfare reliance, as well as his efforts in pushing ahead with Hong Kong’s economic development by seizing China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative and other opportunities.

All in all, it is likely that Leung will focus on the continuity of his livelihood policies, which he believes are working, regardless of attacks from his opponents on his governance style or whatever issue.

It is therefore only natural for others to “sell” something else.

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor raised many eyebrows recently by expressing her “sincere hope” that the next administration could kick-start the stalled political reform process to eventually enable “one person, one vote”.

Understandably, it was not totally surprising for Lam to revive the topic, considering that she was in charge of the ill-fated reform last year and had once said: “Even in my sleep, I dream of getting the reform proposal passed.”

But such a high-profile overture compared with her previous ambiguity on the subject has unavoidably led to speculation as to whether she will use it as her secret weapon if she decides to compete with her boss.

The implied message is, by promoting universal suffrage, she is not only pushing ahead with Hong Kong’s democratic development, but also looking for greater “legitimacy” for the city’s future leader.

What about the strategy of Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah? The answer is simple: “localism”.

Of course Tsang’s definition of the concept has nothing to do with those advocating Hong Kong’s self-determination or independence. Tsang gives “localism” a positive meaning instead – Hongkongers are fiercely proud of their own identity, traditions and culture. Such pride can exist in any country in any form, just like he’s very proud of his high school.

Tsang keeps urging people to turn their love for the city into a constructive force rather than protectionism. People also see him taking every opportunity to show his “sense of belonging” to Hong Kong by openly supporting the local football team in its historic match with the Chinese national squad, visiting locally trained “wonder kid” boxing star Rex Tso Sing-yu and quoting Canto-pop song lyrics in his budget speech.

All this has gradually established his “local-oriented” image, which could help him win the hearts and minds of more Hongkongers.

Other possible “black horses” are becoming more visible and vocal too, such as Legislative Council president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, who never says “no” to media requests for interviews these days. He also never hesitates to tell the public he believes nothing will be “decided in advance” by Beijing this time, and he’s changed his tune to “wait and see” rather than “no” when asked if he’ll run.

Then there’s lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, who is seen as very keen on the job and keeps projecting her image as an expert on security matters, given her background as the former minister in charge of this portfolio.

There’s also Antony Leung Kam-chung. The former financial secretary has picked education as his main field of policy study, reminding the public he’s now the father of three children and hoping to resonate with many parents.

The curtain has just been raised for the chief executive election. Let the show begin.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Curtain rises for chief executive poll race
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