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Good news for Hong Kong in leaked Carrie Lam tape: a solution to the unrest is at hand
- The tape proved that the chief executive and Beijing are both keen to see ‘one country, two systems’ thrive. But it must work both ways
- For a return to peaceful prosperity, all Hong Kong needs is for Lam to swallow her pride and her financial officials to loosen the purse strings
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Why you can trust SCMP
So square the circle: 1. Hong Kong is in a state of “unforgivable havoc”. 2. I did it. 3. I am sorry. 4. Given the choice, I should resign. 5. Please forgive me. 6. I have not given my resignation to the central government … 7. Err, that’s it.
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The morality of recording Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s private conference and leaking it verbatim to the press is dubious. But this is politics; it’s standard operating procedure. It is naive to think that leaks will never happen and equally naive to be so open in discussion.
Always assume you are on the record. Don’t say anything you don’t have to. The tiny sob and tremor in her emotional delivery reveals its authenticity and the enormous stress that she admits she has imposed – on herself.
Lam has demonstrated that she is too honest, too naive, too badly advised by inexperienced people, yet too willing to talk and not listen.
Her version of a dialogue has been a monologue. Nevertheless, the leak has been extremely beneficial to observers, for we have a great deal more visibility from the government side – and it looks good for Hong Kong and its economy.
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