Hong Kong chief opposes giving poor the vote
HONG KONG • The Beijing-appointed leader of Hong Kong, Leung Chun-ying, says it is unacceptable to allow his successors to be chosen in open elections, in part because this would risk giving poorer residents a dominant voice in politics.
Mr. Leung made the statement during a broad-ranging defence Monday night of his administration’s handling of pro-democracy protests that have disrupted the city for more than three weeks.
In the wake of his remarks, talks Tuesday between student leaders and Carrie Lam, Mr. Leung’s deputy, produced no moves toward a solution.
The meeting resembled less a negotiating session than a high school debate. A panel of student leaders in black T-shirts sparred politely with government officials wearing suits and ties, with both sides citing articles of Hong Kong’s city charter, the Basic Law, to back up their points.
In the chief executive’s interview with foreign journalists, he acknowledged many protesters are angry over the lack of social mobility and affordable housing in Hong Kong. But he argued containing populist pressures was an important reason for resisting their demands for fully open elections.
Instead, he repeated China’s position that all candidates to succeed him as chief executive must be screened by a “broadly representative” nominating committee appointed by Beijing. This would insulate candidates from popular pressure to create a welfare state and would allow the city government to follow more business-friendly policies to address economic inequality instead.
His blunt remarks reflect a widely held view among the Hong Kong elite that ordinary people cannot be trusted to govern the city well.
If “you look at the meaning of the words ‘broadly representative,’ it’s not numeric representation,” Mr. Leung said.
“You have to take care of all the sectors in Hong Kong as much as you can, and if it’s entirely a numbers game and numeric representation, then obviously you would be talking to half of the people in Hong Kong who earn less than $1,800 a month.
“Then you would end up with that kind of politics and policies.”
Mr. Leung, who has the backing of the Chinese Communist Party’s leaders, argued the way to remedy social grievances was to expand the housing supply and spur economic growth. He also stressed the importance of maintaining the confidence of Hong Kong’s corporate elite.
Protesters have continued to call for Mr. Leung’s resignation or ouster, both over the police’s tactics against the demonstrators and over accusations of financial impropriety surrounding a business deal he made with an Australian company before he took office.
Mr. Leung’s opponents say he accepted US$6.4-million from the company over the past two years and did not report it. He says the deal was legitimate and he had no legal obligation to declare the income.
The chief executive offered several thinly veiled warnings Monday that it was risky for the protesters to try the patience of the national authorities.
“So far Beijing has left it to the Hong Kong government to deal with the situation, so I think we should try our very best — and this is myself, the government and the people of Hong Kong — should try our very best to stay that way,” he said,
Students and other protesters watching Tuesday’s debate on large projection screens at the main sitin protest site in central Hong Kong said they were happy the government was at least willing to talk.
“This is the first time the government has spoken with protesters on an equal level,” said Teddy Yeung, a computer engineering student wearing a red bandana. “That’s already a step forward for us.”