Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has said in an interview that he has yet to make a decision on seeking a second term.
In an interview with the state-run China Daily English edition conducted last Thursday, Leung was asked when will he announce if he will run for a second term.
“Again not now,” he said with a smile. “When I have decided and I will make the announcement accordingly.”
The newspaper published the first part of the interview last Thursday and other clips on Tuesday. Leung was also asked what his considerations are in running or not running.
“I’ll share that with the people of Hong Kong at the same time, too,” Leung said.
Asked about the possibility of a debate with other candidates in the election, Leung said he does not mind any contest.
“And the people in Hong Kong are entitled to know the policies of people who want to lead Hong Kong government. I haven’t heard any from anyone so far,” he said.
Leung then went on to speak about his policies since he took office, including housing, poverty and air quality.
“So these are the policies that this government put in place, implemented and have seen the results of. And it is important for aspiring candidates to actually tell people what you want to do for Hong Kong. Now so far, I have not come across anything from such aspiring candidates,” he said.
Change
Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, outgoing Legislative Council president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, former Financial Secretary Antony Leung Kam-chung and lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee are widely tipped as potential candidates in the Chief Executive election race.
Jasper Tsang said in July that he may consider running in the election if there were no other suitable candidates. But he added a month later that he will be “very glad” to serve in the government if Leung gets another term.
Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai, former LegCo president and member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, told Metro Daily “I don’t want to talk about it,” when asked if Leung was an ideal Chief Executive.
She said electing another Chief Executive may not solve every single problem in Hong Kong in an interview published on Monday.
“But if it becomes someone who Hong Kong people like more, the atmosphere may be eased a bit,” she said.
She also said that an ideal Chief Executive should convey the thoughts of Hong Kong people to the central government in a way it can understand, and vice versa.
“[The Chief Executive] is a middleman – he should make the deal, but not break the deal,” she said.
