MCLC: universal suffrage for HK

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: kirk (denton.2 at osu.edu)
Subject: universal suffrage for HK
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Source: Financial Times (3/7/12):
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/c9318d42-6821-11e1-a6cc-00144feabdc0.html#ax
zz1ocwzAn8S

ŒOne man, one vote¹ plea for HK poll
By Rahul Jacob and David Pilling in Hong Kong

Henry Tang, the former Hong Kong civil service head whose campaign for
chief executive has been hit by scandal, has said Beijing would ³have to²
accept the city¹s desire for universal suffrage in 2017.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Tang, who until recently was
considered Beijing¹s favourite for the post, said it was of ³paramount
importance² that Hong Kong be allowed to hold a ³one-man, one vote²
election in 2017. He stressed that it would be an important milestone for
China.

Hong Kong citizens are opposed to the present system which allows 1,200
people ­ elites from the pro-Beijing camp and business community ­ to
elect a chief executive for a territory of 7m. The election committee has
only 30 members who were elected on the basis of universal suffrage.

China has indicated that it will allow universal suffrage for chief
executive election in 2017. But many in Hong Kong believe the 1,200-strong
election committee will be used to screen candidates Beijing does not
approve of.

Mr Tang¹s campaign for chief executive ahead of the March 25 vote has been
plagued by scandals involving extramarital affairs and, more damagingly,
the discovery of a basement measuring about 2,000 sq ft built in his home
without planning permission. The basement is reported to have included a
wine cellar.

The revelations about the illegal basement, an emotive issue in a city
with very high real estate prices, has seen support for Mr Tang drop in
opinion polls to about 20 per cent and a surge of support for C.Y. Leung,
the founder of a property surveying company. On Wednesday, Mr Tang, 59,
made light of the opinion polls.

³The gap between us is 20 to 30 points depending on the poll. There are so
many of them coming out of the woodwork. I think the gap will narrow,² Mr
Tang said. ³I believe the election committee will vote for a track record
and prudence against risk.²

Mr Tang said his experience working with the civil service for more than a
decade in different positions in the government, which included a stint as
chief secretary, had showed he was ³a consensus builder².

He took credit for pushing through a long-delayed cultural district last
year, which will be designed by the British architect Lord Foster, and an
agreement a decade ago with Beijing for Hong Kong service companies to
enjoy preferential access to the mainland market. Hong Kong has become the
prime location for Beijing¹s experiments to liberalise its currency where
companies have issued bonds in renminbi and local residents are allowed to
hold deposits in the currency.

³Offshore renminbi is more abstract than making shoes. I told [Beijing]
all the proposals we are making will benefit the country in the long run,²
said Mr Tang, the son of a textile tycoon.

Mr Tang enjoys the support of Hong Kong¹s tycoons. Among the 390
nominations he received last month was support from Li Ka-shing¹s flagship
company and Jardine Matheson, the British conglomerate. Supporters of Mr
Leung have warned that thousands of Hong Kong people will take to the
streets if Mr Tang is elected chief executive after his poor showing in
the opinion polls.

Despite the damaging revelations about Mr Tang¹s personal life, he was
surprisingly sanguine.

³Not everyone has the opportunity to admit to all their mistakes in one
go. It makes me more relaxed. I am energised by [the campaign],² Mr Tang
said.

He declined to comment on reports that he may have an illegitimate child,
saying he did not expect the scandals to hurt his standing further.

³Like in every marriage, I have made mistakes. My wife has forgiven me,²
he said.

Additional reporting by Enid Tsui