Hong Kong elects new leader

Hong Kong’s new leader was sworn in today at a ceremony in Beijing, completing the first leadership change in the former British colony since it returned to Chinese rule eight years ago.

Donald Tsang took his oath of office in the cavernous Great Hall of the People, the seat of China’s legislature, where he met with Premier Wen Jiabao.

Tsang replaced Tung Chee-hwa, who resigned in March citing failing health. Many believe that Tung was pushed out by Beijing, which had lost confidence in him. Tung suffered from dismal public approval ratings during his eight years in office.

Wen heaped praise on the veteran civil servant, saying Tsang will “unite all the people of Hong Kong, and have great achievements in making Hong Kong more prosperous and stable”.

Tsang told Wen: “I’ll definitely continue to work hard on the things the premier wants me to do for Hong Kong’s future. I’ll do everything that I can do to do what the country wants me to do for the well being of the Hong Kong people.”

Tsang faces two major challenges: keeping the economic recovery on track and pleasing his Communist masters who have rejected the public’s calls for full democracy.

Tsang, a policeman’s son who didn’t go to university, has spent 38 years in the Hong Kong government.

He said he would listen closely to the public and that he had already gone into the “streets and alleyways” to hear the people’s stories.

Tsang overwhelmingly won the backing of an 800-member committee that selects Hong Kong’s leader, or chief executive. Hong Kongers were never allowed to directly elect their leaders during British rule, and the undemocratic tradition has continued under China’s governance.

Massive street protests have been held to demand direct elections, but China has ruled Hong Kong isn’t ready for full democracy. Tsang sides with Beijing on the issue, but said a task force was considering political reforms for the 2007 leadership election.

Another protest was scheduled for July 1, but Tsang said he had no plans to participate.

During the past eight years, Hong Kong’s economy has been hammered by the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 and an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, in 2003.

But Hong Kong has recently rebounded, with the economy expanding 6% on year in the first quarter of 2005.