"Betraying Hong Kong" (Toronto Star newsstory)

[RonOnGuitar]

This story from the Toronto Star.



Any thoughts, additions or correction from HK (and other) peeps on it?

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Betraying Hong Kong



The people of Hong Kong have reason to feel cheated as Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa prepares to bow out two years before his mandate expires.



But they aren't being cheated because Tung is a popular figure who will be missed. Far from it. Hong Kong's first post-colonial leader has been a major disappointment.



What Hong Kong's 7 million people are being cheated of is the right to decide who will succeed him.



A shipping magnate, Tung was handpicked by the Chinese leadership in 1997 when China took over from Britain. With Beijing's blessing he was reappointed in 2002 by a compliant 800-member Hong Kong selection committee.



Once China settles on a successor, the committee can be expected to rubber-stamp that decision, too.



Hong Kong was promised better: A "high degree of autonomy" and "universal suffrage," to be precise. None of that is on display today.



From behind closed doors, Chinese President Hu Jintao and his unelected colleagues are calling the shots. They decided Tung should go. They will name his replacement. And they will decide whether that person serves out Tung's last two years or gets a full five-year mandate.



Hong Kong democrats see this as "plain meddling," says Jackie Hung, spokesperson for the Civil Human Rights Front. They are pushing for real elections. And they have reason.



Hong Kong's Basic Law does empower Beijing to name the chief executive and to dominate the 60-seat Legislative Council. However, the law affirms as its "ultimate aim" that people should directly elect both.



But Hu has ruled that out for the next scheduled chief executive election in 2007, and for the whole council in 2008.



Unless Hu reverses course, Tung's successor will take over under a cloud. That risks eroding confidence in the city's government and sapping its strength as a financial hub.



Why replace Tung early?



Because he made himself unpopular with his stiff style and poor handling of everything from the Asian financial crisis to SARS to property deals. People thronged the streets in 2003 and 2004, protesting China's proposed anti-subversion laws, and its refusal to grant universal suffrage. Hu publicly rebuked Tung recently for his poor performance.



Beijing no doubt feared a growing clamour for elections as Tung's term drew to an end. He was a lightning rod for protest. A more popular successor may be better-placed to say "No" without triggering a crisis.



Tung's deputy, Chief Secretary Donald Tsang, has the profile for the job. He is popular with Hong Kong residents, civil servants and business people. He also has urged people to accept that universal suffrage won't be brought in by 2007-2008.



Beijing may count on Tsang, or someone very much like him, to deflect demands for democratic reform in the coming years.



But that leaves Hong Kong voters cheated. They will continue to be represented by Beijing's appointee, not by someone of their own choosing. That betrays the spirit of China's solemn pledge to nurture two political systems within one country.