Word: tung
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...Tung would have done better to quit while he was ahead. Public discontent with him spiked sharply?over the economy, his administration's bungled handling of the SARS epidemic, and its attempt to bulldoze through the legislature antisubversion laws that many Hong Kongers felt could be used to stifle dissent. The discontent spilled into the streets on July 1, 2003, when half a million marched to demand that Tung go. China's leadership, which had been informed by Tung that the protest would be small and well contained, was not amused. A year later, after Beijing ruled out the direct...
...Removing Tung could be part of a strategy to prevent that from happening. It would take away the focal point for dissent that Tung has become, and it would show that China's leaders are responsive to public opinion in Hong Kong. Both Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao have tried to convey the image of a kinder, gentler leadership that cares for the masses, even as they maintain a tight grip on power. During the SARS epidemic, for example, Wen sacked China's Health Minister for underplaying the scale of the crisis, and impressed Hong Kongers with his apparent warmth...
...Tung's departure also gives Beijing flexibility over how much electoral reform to allow in Hong Kong. The Basic Law, the territory's constitution, says that the Chief Secretary becomes acting Chief Executive if the top post is vacated in mid-term, and that a new leader has to be chosen by the Election Committee within six months. The question?now hotly discussed by Hong Kong's many lawyers?is whether the new Chief Executive merely serves out the rest of Tung's term to 2007, or whether he gets a new five-year term...
...plan seems likely to include inducting Chief Secretary Tsang, 60, as Tung's successor. Unlike Tung, Tsang, who is popularly known for wearing colorful bow ties, grew up in a low-income household and is respected by many Hong Kong people for making a success of his life. As a veteran civil servant, Tsang knows how Hong Kong works. And as a lifelong administrator, his instinct is to be conservative?a quality Beijing appreciates. "He's someone who is able to carry on business as usual, ensure economic growth and political stability, and who doesn't create controversy," says City...
...Shing-Tung Yau, William Casper Graustein Professor of Mathematics...