Will a woman run for chief executive in 2017?
Female politicians reveal no plans for poll, but party leaders again raise the prospect of a woman making a dash for the keys to Government House
A pair of pro-establishment party leaders yesterday raised the stakes that Hong Kong could see a female vying for the city’s top job next year.
Liberal Party chairman Felix Chung Kwok-pan called it “a high chance” for a female candidate to compete for the job of chief executive, while Starry Lee Wai-king – the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong chairwoman whose resignation from the Executive Council last week prompted short-lived speculation that she was preparing for the election – said it would be a “breakthrough” for Hong Kong to be led by a woman.
“From my personal point of view, it would be a good thing if a woman takes part in the CE election,” Lee said.
The real prospect, though, does not seem to lie in Lee herself. Speaking hours after Lee, her mentor, Legislative Council president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, said he heard “no plan” that his protege was interested in the position.
So who might she be? The name of Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee was floated times and again during private conversations between journalists and delegates on the sidelines of the National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference meetings in Beijing earlier this month.
“She has been testing water for quite a while,” a businessman-delegate said. “I would be surprised if she’s not running.”
Speaking to the Sunday Morning Post, Ip, who failed in 2012 to garner enough support for nomination, said it would be “too early” to comment on her intention.
“In fact, it has become a worldwide trend for females to be political leaders,” Ip said, commenting on the remarks from Lee and Chung.
She cited Taiwan’s president-elect Tsai Ing-wen, US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton and South Korean president Park Geun-hye as examples.
“As for China, although there is no woman in the Politburo [standing committee]… Hong Kong can walk a step forward to show our status as an international city,” Ip said.
The New People’s Party chairwoman also noted that many of Legco’s party chairs as well as business leaders are currently female.
Another possible woman contender, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, has repeatedly said she would retire after the current administration concludes in June next year.
Her ministerial colleague, Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, called it “a good thing” on Friday that if Hong Kong could have a woman chief executive.
He was responding to questions whether he would run for the top job himself, when he cited the fact that Lee, who had faced rounds of media questions on her electioneering prospect, was a woman.
Lee, though, added that gender is not the only concern in deciding which candidate to support.
“One ought also to consider a candidate’s popularity, as well as the proposals and capability to address social problems,” she said.
