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Chief executive election 2017
Hong KongPolitics

Jasper Tsang wants to see Beijing appoint adviser to chief executive

Former Legco president says role would not undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy

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Tsang said every chief executive candidate had strengths and shortcomings. Photo: May Tse
Phila Siu
Hong Kong’s former Legislative Council president has suggested that Beijing appoint a political adviser to the chief executive so the city’s leader would be able to seek the central government’s views on issues within Beijing’s purview.

But Jasper Tsang Yok-sing’s proposal on Monday drew a lukewarm response from Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, Hong Kong’s sole representative on the nation’s highest legislature, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, and former chief secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen.

The suggestion is among the package of proposals Hong Kong Vision, a think thank chaired by Tsang, unveiled on Sunday for the next chief executive.

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On matters that come under the central government’s purview or those concerning relations between Beijing and the Hong Kong government, Tsang said the chief executive could seek advice from the appointed adviser, he said.

He added that the adviser should be a mainlander assigned to work inside the Chief Executive’s Office.

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“I don’t think the adviser’s role would undermine Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy,” he said on an RTHK programme on Monday, claiming decisions on matters such as the Territory-wide System Assessment education policy would still be made by the Executive Council.

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