Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah has said that he needs to “carefully consider” whether to run as Chief Executive next year.
Tsang spoke in an interview with public broadcaster RTHK published on Thursday. The Chief Executive position is a very hard job, he said, and a very important mission that he would have to consider carefully.
When asked whether his upcoming trip to the G20 Summit would be a good opportunity to express his intention to run for Hong Kong’s top job, Tsang said: “I don’t have anything to add to what I said before. I have said it many times. My stance has not changed.”
Asked whether he would stay on as Financial Secretary if the incumbent Leung Chun-ying was re-elected as Chief Executive, Tsang said that “it’s too far away, and this is a very speculative thing. From now until next year is a long time, and I have a lot of time to consider it deeply.”
The interviewer also asked whether the LegCo election results would influence his decision to stay on. In response, he said everything is a factor and that he would need to consider personal factors as well as his position as a civil servant.
Tsang previously said he is willing to be the chief executive if the position can make contribution to Hong Kong. LegCo president Jasper Tsang has also said he may possibly run for the position. The election is scheduled for March 26, 2017.
See also: Financial Sec. John Tsang willing to be chief executive if he ‘can contribute to Hong Kong’
Tsang is unable to vote in Sunday’s legislative election as he is heading to the G20 Summit, but he urged residents to vote for their favoured candidates. He said he did not make special arrangements to see Chinese leaders during the annual G20 conference but said that, as Financial Secretary, he has to report to them annually.
