ANSON CHAN RULES OUT RUNNING FOR TOP POLITICAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 003872 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP AND EAP/CM NSC FOR WILDER E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/27/2031 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR PREL HK CH SUBJECT: ANSON CHAN RULES OUT RUNNING FOR TOP POLITICAL POSITION REF: HONG KONG 2210 Classified By: Consul General James B. Cunningham. Reasons: 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) Summary: In a move undoubtedly welcomed in Beijing, former Hong Kong Chief Secretary Anson Chan announced on September 23 that she would not contest the 2007 Chief Executive (CE) election, removing the most serious complication for incumbent CE Donald Tsang's reelection bid. Chan told the Consul General prior to the announcement that she had informed Tsang and Beijing last December that she did not intend to contest the election. According to Chan, they did not believe her and remained skeptical of her motives. Although, Chan maintained, she never intended to run, over the ensuing months she kept the idea of a possible CE candidacy alive in order to generate debate on political reform. While obviously concerned about the prospect she would run and embarrass both Beijing and Tsang, the PRC Government had not directly tried to convince her to stay out of the race, she said. "They know that a direct approach might actually have encouraged me." But Beijing supporters launched a campaign in the press to discredit her motives and patriotism, and portray her as an instrument of the U.S., giving her a taste of what an eventual campaign would be like. Against the background of waning poll numbers over the summer, Chan, who values her ties with Beijing, concluded that the personal political cost of running, and thus confronting Beijing, in a contest she could not conceivably win, was too high. "If I had any chance of winning, I might have decided differently," she told the Consul General. ¶2. (C) Having apparently concluded that challenging Tsang in a losing contest would undermine her influence, she intends to remain engaged in Hong Kong and with Beijing on Hong Kong's future. During the press conference, Chan also announced the long-awaited formation of a six-member "core group" that would work towards "shaping the constitutional reform agenda" and would promote universal suffrage and good governance. She told the Consul General she had hoped to have members of the business community in her group, but none would openly join for fear of offending Beijing or Tsang. She assured the CG that she would have active support from pro-democracy business people behind the scenes, however. With Chan out of the running, the latest speculation in Hong Kong is that Civic Party legislator Alan Leong likely will be the pan-democratic CE candidate. ¶3. (C) Comment: Beijing and its supporters, in ways both subtle and not, are influencing Hong Kong's political space. Chan's public decision greatly reduces the ability of pan-democrats to launch a significant challenge to Tsang, although Chan will continue to provoke a debate on key issues of Hong Kong's future. Beijing is attempting to block votes for an alternative candidate to Tsang in the election committee, and committee members will have a hard time deciding to risk backing a challenger who lacks Chan's appeal and stature. Chan believes that through her "core group" she will be able to play a more productive, less 'politicized' role from outside the CE election process. She made it clear she intends to remain a force to be reckoned with. This episode reflects Beijing's success in influencing Hong Kong elites without heavy-handed intervention. End Summary and Comment. Chan: I Never Intended to Run -------------- ¶4. (U) Retired former Hong Kong Chief Secretary Anson Chan officially announced on September 23 that she would not contest the 2007 Chief Executive (CE) election, ending more than nine months of speculation. She had never intended to participate in the CE election and had made clear last year that she would not run, according to Chan. "If I have caused disappointment to some people because they expected me to run, I am very sorry." Chan denied she made the decision because she had little hope of defeating incumbent CE Donald Tsang. She added, however, "The present rules of the game SIPDIS really do not encourage eligible people to run for the elections." Chan told reporters that she called Tsang on September 22 to inform him that she did not intend to run; a Government spokesperson said Tsang was "grateful" for Chan's call and that the HKG welcomed ideas on constitutional reform from anyone. When asked whether she would support Tsang's reelection bid, Chan noncommittally replied, "I will support anybody with integrity who will shoulder responsibility and can rule Hong Kong with an open and transparent attitude to implement 'one country, two systems.'" HONG KONG 00003872 002 OF 002 "Core Group" -------------- ¶5. (U) As promised in mid-July, Chan also announced the formation of a six-member "core group" that would work toward "shaping the constitutional reform agenda" and would promote universal suffrage and good governance. "Core group" members include: Allen Lee, a well-connected National People's Congress (NPC) delegate and media personality who is increasingly pro-democracy; Lily Yam, former head of the Independent Commission Against Corruption; Johannes Chan, head of the law faculty at the University of Hong Kong; Christine Loh, Civic Exchange founder and Chief Executive; Elizabeth Bosher, former Deputy Secretary for Constitutional Affairs; and Chandran Nair, founder of the non-profit group Global Institute for Tomorrow. Chan stressed that her group would not challenge the Hong Kong or Central Governments, but would work to advance the debate on democracy and the strength of good governance in Hong Kong. Chan said she had difficulty recruiting business people to join her group, because many of them did not want to jeopardize business interests in Hong Kong and Beijing. On September 27, Chan gave a speech focused entirely on governance and questioned the Government's proposal to develop the political appointment system by creating posts of Deputy Director and Assistant to Directors of Bureaus; she made clear her desire to make a clear demarcation between career civil servants and politically appointed senior government officials. Pragmatic Hong Kongers Want "Safe Hands" to Guide City -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) Executive Committee member Anthony Cheung speculated to poloff on September 26 that Chan had seriously considered contesting the CE election, but decided against it after seeing her popularity ratings decline over the last few months. (Note: A September poll conducted by Chinese University showed Tsang with a popularity rating of 56.5 percent, with Chan trailing at 23.8 percent. End Note.) According to Cheung, Chan knew all along that she would not have Beijing's endorsement and would not win the election. If Chan were to lose in a popularity contest against Tsang during the election process, however, it would constitute a tremendous setback to her influence and would exhaust her political capital. Cheung said he was not surprised by recent polls showing Tsang's high popularity ratings. Hong Kongers are pragmatic people and ultimately, they want the CE's office in "safe hands." While Chan and Tsang both had government experience, Tsang was younger and had better relations with Beijing, noted Cheung. He downplayed Chan's "core group" and said that he did not expect it to be particularly important or influential in Hong Kong politics. Although Chan has ruled herself out of the CE race, Cheung opined that her influence would grow if she positioned herself as a bridge between the establishment and the opposition and played a role in bringing together the two sides. Democrats Disappointed But DAB Full of Praise -------------- ¶7. (U) Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Lee Wing-tat told the press that Chan's decision would not disrupt the democrats' election plans, but acknowledged that the democrats might face a more difficult time garnering the 100 nominations required to stand in the CE election. Jasper Tsang, former Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB),said that Hong Kong would benefit from Chan's decision. "She can now assume a transcendent position to work on a reform proposal," said Tsang. SIPDIS Speculation Gathers on Democrats' CE Candidate -------------- - ¶8. (SBU) With Chan out of the running, the latest speculation is that Civic Party legislator Alan Leong will be the democrats' likely CE candidate. However, democrats have already begun lowering expectations. DP Chairman Lee told the press that amid heavy lobbying by Beijing, the democrats might not succeed in securing enough nominations to stand in the CE race. Cunningham