Race For Hong Kong’s Next Leader Heats Up
Extramarital affairs, an underground pleasure palace and private jets have made headlines in Hong Kong, as political scandals rock the island. The local press is claiming Beijing has “lost control of the puppet strings” in the race for the island’s next chief executive.
In the 15 years since Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty, elections to pick Hong Kong’s leader have been sedate affairs: A 1,200-person selection committee comprising political and business elites has endorsed Beijing’s choice in what is basically a rigged election.
But not this time.
With two of the three candidates apparently acceptable to Beijing, there are signs it’s turning into something like a real race — with the result unknown, and the process beset by mudslinging and scandal.
“The struggle between the two camps is exceedingly fierce, and very bloody,” says Emily Lau, acting chairperson of the Democratic Party. “Very acrimonious — you can say it’s a bomb, you can say it’s bloodletting — whatever you say would not be exaggerating.”
Pictured: Henry Tang (shown here in September 2011), the former head of Hong Kong’s civil service, was once the front-runner in the race to be the island’s next leader. Now, a series of scandals has hurt his prospects. Bobby Yip/Reuters/Landov
