Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa (
Despite the Beijing-appointed chief executive's promises to improve his performance, analysts don't expect him to launch any major projects during the rest of his term.
PHOTO: AP
In an unprecedented move, Tung admitted that his "shortcomings and inadequacies" had undermined the credibility of his policy-making capability.
He confessed to his "failure" to establish the vision of "people-based" governance in the southern Chinese enclave and conceded he had fallen short of "thinking what people think."
In his annual policy address Wednesday, Tung also admitted to introducing "too many reform measures too hastily," and said he and his team had "lacked a sense of crisis, political sensitivity as well as the necessary experience and capability to cope with political and economic changes."
Wong Ka-ying, research officer of Hong Kong Institute for Asia-Pacific studies at Chinese University, said, "For a chief executive to admit wrongdoings in a policy address is very rare."
"But was his policy good enough to change things? There is very little he can do," he added.
Tung's self-criticism came three weeks after Chinese President Hu Jintao (
"Obviously, it's a response to the central government's criticism. It's part of the Chinese politics," said Anthony Cheung, political professor at Hong Kong City University.
The Hong Kong leader has been forced into a string of embarrassing policy climbdowns in the past few months, most shaming of which was the cancellation of a US$3 billion real estate investment trust (REIT) listing after an elderly woman challenged its legality in the courts.
Also, pressure groups accuse local tycoons of colluding with the government, which regularly gives big companies the go-ahead for large projects.
Last April, Beijing ruled out full elections for the territory's leader in 2007 and the entire legislature in 2008.
The move prompted a massive protest march and criticism by democrats who argue that universal suffrage was promised in the Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution, which came into force after the return to Chinese rule in 1997.
FREE ELECTIONS called
The top US envoy to Hong Kong Thursday called for free elections in the former British colony and said he was "hopeful" they would be allowed soon.
The remarks by US consul-general James Keith come a day after Hong Kong's Beijing-appointed leader Tung Chee-hwa said the territory could move towards full democracy at an "early date."
In his annual policy address Wednesday, Tung said: "As long as we maintain prosperity, stability and social harmony, our democratic constitutional system can develop at a faster pace.
"The ultimate aim of universal suffrage can be achieved at an early date."
Reacting to Tung's remarks, Keith told radio station RTHK that September's limited legislature elections, which attracted a record turnout, demonstrated Hong Kong people's desire for democracy.
"We are very much in favor of more representative government in Hong Kong," he said. "I think it should happen. I am hopeful that it will. That is the best means of achieving success and prosperity in Hong Kong.
Beijing last year ruled there could be no universal suffrage in Hong Kong until after 2008, sparking a pro-democracy march by more than 500,000 protesters in July.
Republican US lawmakers on Friday criticized US President Joe Biden’s administration after sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei unveiled a laptop this week powered by an Intel artificial intelligence (AI) chip. The US placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019 for contravening Iran sanctions, part of a broader effort to hobble Beijing’s technological advances. Placement on the list means the company’s suppliers have to seek a special, difficult-to-obtain license before shipping to it. One such license, issued by then-US president Donald Trump’s administration, has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. China hardliners
Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, funeral home officials said. They were 62. The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died on April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg said. The cause of death was not detailed. “When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The
RAMPAGE: A Palestinian man was left dead after dozens of Israeli settlers searching for a missing 14-year-old boy stormed a village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank US President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to attack Israel “sooner, rather than later” and warned Tehran not to proceed. Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden simply said: “Don’t,” underscoring Washington’s commitment to defend Israel. “We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” he said. Biden said he would not divulge secure information, but said his expectation was that an attack could come “sooner, rather than later.” Israel braced on Friday for an attack by Iran or its proxies as warnings grew of
A prominent Christian leader has allegedly been stabbed at the altar during a Mass yesterday in southwest Sydney. Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was saying Mass at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm when a man approached him at the altar and allegedly stabbed toward his head multiple times. A live stream of the Mass shows the congregation swarm forward toward Emmanuel before it was cut off. The church leader gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, amassing a large online following, Officers attached to Fairfield City police area command attended a location on Welcome Street, Wakeley following reports a number