Is chief's failure to meet US and Japanese businessmen just a mix-up, or is he toeing Beijing's line, analysts ask
Two of the city's biggest economic partners - the United States and Japan - claim they were left out of a meeting last week at which Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen sought input from the foreign business community on his upcoming policy address.
One analyst warned of economic consequences; another suggested Mr Tsang was following Beijing's line on foreign relations more closely at a sensitive time.
Both the American Chamber of Commerce and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce were absent when Mr Tsang met business representatives from 14 countries on Wednesday. Representatives of organisations such as the Finnish Business Council, with a membership of 40, and the Belgium-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, with a membership of 69, spoke out on issues such as the environment and a goods and services tax.
The British chamber submitted a report to Mr Tsang calling for, among other things, a new landfill, greater tram coverage, green buildings and more pedestrian zones. It urges more recycling, and suggests people pay for disposing of solid waste. The chamber's executive director, Christopher Hammerbeck, said: 'Last year the government liked our paper and many of our suggestions were included in the policy address.'
It is understood the numerous suggestions are endorsed by the Canadian, Japanese, Scandinavian and Indian chambers of commerce.
