Camp says Beijing may still employ hardline approach towards city after Chief Executive Leung’s departure
Celebrate for a night, but stay vigilant as the departure of Leung Chun-ying does not mean Beijing will change its hardline approach towards Hong Kong.
That was the cautious message issued by the city’s pro-democracy bloc even as it tried to suppress its joy after the Hong Kong leader made the stunning announcement that he would not seek a second term next March.
The sober assessment came just two days ahead of polling for the Election Committee, where some 230,000 registered voters would return the 1,194 members who would then go on to pick the city’s next leader.
At 3.30pm yesterday, in one fell swoop, the pan-democrats and supporters for the “ABC”, or “Anyone But CY”, drive lost their mortal enemy whom they had spent the last four years trying to outmanoeuvre and outfox.
But they warned all Hongkongers to stay vigilant as Leung’s departure could mean the arrival of another hardliner, New People’s Party leader Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, who is eyeing the seat.