Advertisement
Hong Kong finance chief ‘has the qualifications’ for city leader, but blasting US in report shouldn’t be read as political manoeuvring, heavyweight says
- ‘I don’t think he’s trying to show off his personal performance,’ Regina Ip says of Paul Chan report accusing Washington of using city as a pawn
- The report, which came just days after Beijing issued a ‘criminal record’ of US actions, has sparked speculation finance chief is eyeing higher office
Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Hong Kong’s financial chief “has the qualifications” to be a contender for the city’s next leader, pro-establishment veteran Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee has said, although “many others” also fall into this category.
Advertisement
But the Executive Council member, who has herself run for chief executive twice before, also warned against interpreting Paul Chan Mo-po’s new report on the city’s business environment as an attempt to showcase himself ahead of the March election.
The unprecedented report, released on Monday, catalogued the “severe damage” the 2019 anti-government protests caused the city’s business environment and blamed Washington for a “strategy of suppressing China” by using the city as a “pawn”.
The content and timing have sparked speculation in some quarters that it was an attempt to position himself for a potential run for higher office.
Advertisement