Letters | Hong Kong’s ‘one country, two systems’ has surprised and derailed

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I agree with your correspondent’s take on history in “Two systems will survive and prevail” (February 16). As a result of Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping’s wisdom, Hong Kong was offered a clear path forward beyond 1997. That path required a capable leader, but unfortunately none of the four chief executives in the ensuing years have been able to maintain speed and direction.

Since 2007, Hong Kong has drifted into inertia in many areas because of the undue influence of vested interests. The wealth gap widened and land and housing problems were ignored. Many undesirable happenings emerged in this vacuum and Hong Kong’s traditional optimism faded.

Directions will now come from the mainland, and ordinary people will welcome President Xi Jinping’s policy of “common prosperity” and wave good riddance to laissez-faire economics. It has been obvious in the past year that the liaison office is more clued in to ordinary Hongkongers’ trials and tribulations than our administration and members of the Executive Council, who all have their heads in the clouds.

The election of the next chief executive has been delayed until May. It will be interesting to see how the candidates’ manifestos reflect Hong Kong’s new reality.