Cosmopolitan society gives new leader formidable task

Chan Tak-leung says Carrie Lam has great expectations from the president on down - no easy mission in such a diverse city

During her recent visit to Beijing, Hong Kong's Chief Executive-designate Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor received her letter of appointment from Premier Li Keqiang and had a meeting with President Xi Jinping.

She will officially take over the reins from the incumbent Leung Chun-ying on July 1. Her election success and appointment is significant, not just because she will be the first woman to be the CE of Hong Kong but also because her forthcoming tenure will take the city to its half-way mark as a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China. Together with Macao, Hong Kong is one of the only two regions within China authorized to exercise a high degree of autonomy.

One only hopes that all the citizens of Hong Kong, regardless of their situation in life, would not need reminding that while enjoying their rights, autonomy and freedoms, they should also acknowledge the fact that these rights are being authorized by China and safeguarded under the "One Country, Two Systems" policy and Basic Law. Failure to recognize and respect the authority that granted these rights, one would suggest, might result in the emergence of even more conflicts and challenges for Hong Kong and for the new CE.

Like everything else in life, authorized rights cannot and should not be abused.

During her meetings with State leaders, the CE-designate was asked by the premier to "develop Hong Kong's economy, to unite all sectors of society and to take the city to a new level". Indeed, the CE-designate's manifesto already mentioned her intention to connect for "consensus and a better future". President Xi, on the other hand, pledged his full support to her appointment but also indicated her great responsibility to "resolve long-standing conflicts and problems" that had emerged in the SAR over the years. The president further noted that there are "challenges and risks as well as opportunities and hopes" presented in the SAR. He reminded Lam of the importance of upholding the "One Country, Two Systems" principle.

Lam declared that she had conveyed to State leaders how "Hong Kong people very much cherish their freedoms, way of life and democratic aspirations". She was simply reinforcing the fact that over the past 20 years, despite all the external and internal pressures, Hong Kong has continued to thrive as a successful global financial center.

It is pretty obvious that before, when and after the CE-designate takes office, there will be great expectations from all sides - legislators, political activists, businesses, professionals and Hong Kong's 7.2 million citizens alike. All interested parties will undoubtedly put forward wish lists for a better SAR based on their very diverse agendas.

No pressures there then.

A better future sounds visionary and is a term commonly deployed by many politicians. Like motherhood and apple pie, they are easier said than done. For there are many questions that need closer and in-depth examination before actions can be taken in order to move to a better future. Built-in legal, political, financial, social and strategic parameters for a cosmopolitan city like Hong Kong would be varied and many. The new administration would need time to investigate and consult before it could begin to provide satisfactory answers. Questions include will there be consensus and how to achieve collaboration from camps with opposing political views? How to ensure the majority of stakeholders will come together and connect on the same platform? Are all the ingredients required to achieve a better future readily at the disposal of the administration? What sort of known and unknown, external as well as internal pressures will confront the SAR in the next five years? Will members of the incoming administration be up to their jobs?

Perhaps one can draw some lessons from political conflicts that have existed before and are now being resolved amicably. One can look to Northern Ireland and South Africa for inspiration. In both cases, political polarities between opposing parties had divided them and created conflict for decades before agreement, coupled with citizens' desire for peace and harmony, ultimately made consensus a reality.

Returning to Hong Kong, all interested groups and individuals need to adopt better bilateral communication, to initiate problem-solving orientated discussion, to seek support from third and independent parties if needed, to seek clarifications of objectives, to improve engagement with stakeholders, to develop win-win situations for all concerned and only then perhaps consensus and genuine connection will emerge. The process might take a lot of time, energy and determination but success at the end will be well worth it.

The task confronting the CE-designate is undoubtedly huge but certainly should not be viewed as insurmountable. As long as all parties feel they are being valued and listened to, set out clear objectives for themselves coupled with a more open and improved governance of the SAR, the incoming CE will one hopes deliver the stated goals in her manifesto and take the city to a new level as suggested. For after all, different stakeholders must remind themselves that the raison d'etre of their hard work is not for their own personal interests but for the long-term well-being of Hong Kong and its many citizens.

(HK Edition 04/28/2017 page1)