Tang and Wu set for heavyweight roles in Lee’s campaign
Michael Shum
Former chief secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen and a member of the standing committee of China’s political advisory body Anthony Wu Ting-yuk are on a campaign office presidium list of only candidate for chief executive John Lee Ka -chiu, sources said.
Robert Ng Chee-siong, chairman of the Sino Group, and Lo Man-tuen, vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Overseas Chinese Returnees, are also vying for consultancy positions in the campaign for the top job. May 8 high.
The political and business sector sources said there will be a presidium and a group of consultants for Lee’s campaign office, made up of about 150 heavyweights in total – more than triple the number of nearly 40 advisers. by General Manager Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor. back in 2017.
The presidium will mainly be made up of members of the standing committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, including Tang, Wu and CK Hutchison general manager Victor Li Tzar-kuoi.
The 80-person presidium would also include Executive Council Chairman Bernard Charnwut Chan, who backed Lam during his 2017 campaign.
Other potential consultants include former CPPCC standing committee Chan Wing-kee, Stephen Tai Tak-fung and Ambrose Lau Hon-chuen.
One of the politicians who was asked to consult, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the star-studded team he was able to assemble belonged to the “patriotic camp”.
Lee was reportedly able to garner support from different sectors of society, showing that his support is “widely representative”.
A member of the election committee who was asked to be a consultant said he was willing to provide Lee with policy suggestions, but thinks the position won’t come with a lot of workload.
“At most I should provide Lee with opinions on his policies and governance, because Lee’s campaign office will be in charge of the election campaign,” he said.
He said Lee’s team could announce the names today, while Lee’s campaign office director Tam Yiu-chung said an announcement would be made in due course.
The 150 people are joining a campaign led by Tam, Hong Kong’s only delegate to the National People’s Congress, and 16 deputy directors.
The news came as Lo Man-tuen wrote in a newspaper commentary that “one-horse races” would not be common in CE races, citing “special circumstances” for this race.
Lo said the non-pro-establishment camp should participate by relaying requests from people with different backgrounds to the candidate.
