Opinion | Carrie Lam may be Beijing’s choice, but Hong Kong still needs a fair leadership race

Gary Cheung says the effusive support from pro-Beijing papers proves Lam has the backing of the central leadership, but John Tsang’s popularity reflects the public desire for a change of style

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Pro-Beijing papers have given all-out coverage to former chief secretary Carrie Lam’s bid for Hong Kong’s top job, but ex-financial secretary John Tsang has not garnered similar column space. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 1:49pm, 23 Jan 2017Updated: 8:49pm, 23 Jan 2017

Wang Guangya, director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said the central government would observe “every” chief executive candidate and seriously analyse their governing principles.

Wang’s remarks, made to the pro-Beijing Bauhinia magazine last month, were viewed as Beijing’s hint that it is not ready to show its hand on its preferred choice in the chief executive race, igniting hope among some Hongkongers that there would be free competition.

Watch: Carrie Lam announces bid for chief executive

But the game turned ugly shortly after Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor resigned as chief secretary on January 12. The pro-Beijing Wen Wei Po devoted its front page plus three full pages the next day to reports on her resignation and positive comments about her from various sectors, followed by two full pages on Lam on January 14 and the day after. Then, three full pages on January 17 were devoted to coverage of Lam’s declaration of candidacy the previous day, along with an editorial giving her the thumbs-up. Pro-Beijing peer Ta Kung Pao also expressed support for Lam in its editorial that day and even congratulated her on her “victory”.

Why Carrie Lam is Beijing’s real preference for chief executive

Their high-profile endorsements were in stark contrast to the low-key coverage of rival candidate John Tsang Chun-wah’s resignation on December 12.

Watch: John Tsang vows to restore hope to Hong Kong

While Ta Kung Pao ran a 620-word article, Wen Wei Po had a 735-word report on page 13 on December 13, and then devoted half of page 15 on January 22 to Tsang’s declaration to run for Hong Kong’s top job.

Pro-Beijing papers’ preference for Lam can be explained by the liaison office’s instructions to their senior editors, two weeks ago, to “gradually devote more extensive coverage” to Lam, who is Beijing’s preferred candidate. Some pro-establishment figures cited those newspapers’ blessing for Lam as evidence that Beijing favours her.

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Beijing’s simultaneous approval of Lam’s and Tsang’s resignations on January 16 also lent credence to the claim that it had already anointed Lam, who stepped down a month after Tsang.