Commentary

Taiwan expects big things from new HK leader

(CNA photos)

• Publication Date：03/31/2012
• Source： Taiwan Today
• By  John Wren

The election of Leung Chun-ying, a property consultant with longstanding ties to Beijing, as chief executive of Hong Kong March 25 augurs well for relations between the ROC and mainland Chinese special administrative region.

Leung won 689 votes from 1,200 electors chosen by mainland China to represent the region. His nearest rival, Henry Tang, picked up 285 while Albert Ho, leader of the SAR’s Democratic Party, brought up the rear with a paltry 76.

Set to take over from incumbent Sir Donald Tsang July 1, Leung is expected to unite Hong Kong’s various interest groups and improve the livelihood of the people. These pressures will weigh heavy on Beijing’s last-minute favorite in the race, who only got the nod after first choice Tang was undone by an illegal basement constructed in his home and allegations of saucy extramarital affairs.

Following his victory, Leung said the fourth-term chief executive election campaign “reconfirmed our core values, which I steadfastly share with the people of Hong Kong. The rule of law, human rights, integrity, anti-corruption, freedom of the press, speech and assembly are part of the way of life for all Hong Kong people. To the 7 million people, I solemnly pledge that the freedom and rights that they enjoy today will be maintained under my administration.”

Leung’s passionate public statement, which may well have been inspired by ROC President Ma Ying-jeou and his rousing stump speeches earlier this year, was well received in Taiwan. The Mainland Affairs Council quickly congratulated the new leader on his resounding victory, and said it was looking forward to his five-year term in office.

The MAC also said it was anticipating Taiwan and Hong Kong will enjoy an even more cooperative partnership in the future, giving rise to expectations of greater progress in key areas such as the implementation of an online service allowing ROC nationals to obtain free visas before visiting the SAR.

Long rumored to be nearing completion, the service has become a fly in the ointment for the ROC government in its efforts to improve Taiwan-Hong Kong ties.

Earlier last month, MAC Deputy Minister Kao Charng explained to a visiting delegation from the SAR why the two sides must up efforts to establish a mutual visa-waiver regime based on the principle of reciprocity.

Delegation leader Raymond Tam, secretary of the Hong Kong Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, responded that related agencies have already made full preparations for implementation of the service and have commenced testing. He added that the SAR’s government is confident the initiative will be up and running shortly so as to make traveling to the SAR even more convenient for ROC citizens.

The visa service is just one of numerous advances made in Taiwan-Hong Kong ties since Ma took office in May 2008, including air transport, bank management, culture, customs and tariffs, food safety, public health and tourism.

But as far as Taiwan is concerned, aviation is far and away the most outstanding of these. In December last year, government officials from the ROC and Hong Kong signed an air transport pact between the two sides for the first time.

The landmark agreement, which regulates routes and services, is significant as it exhibits all the characteristics of a government-to-government arrangement. Inked in the former British colony by James Chu, director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong, and his counterpart John Leung, director of the Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office in Taipei, the pact lifts the number of weekly flights between Taiwan and Hong Kong from 340 to 410.

The existing agreement was signed in 2002 by the head of the Taipei Airlines Association and representatives of three Hong Kong carriers—Air Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair. It replaced the first pact concluded in 1996 by Taiwan-based China Airlines and EVA Airways with Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair.

This major breakthrough follows on from the opening last July of the Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office in Taiwan, as well as the December 2011 upgrading of the functions of the Chung Hwa Travel Service and the changing of its official designation to Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong.

Such headway has only been possible through an ongoing process of official cooperation enabling Taiwan and Hong Kong to improve exchanges in culture, economy and trade. This progress occurred not by chance, but as a result of Ma’s pragmatic efforts to improve relations between Taiwan and mainland China. Viable diplomacy, which removes obstacles preventing the ROC from cooperating more effectively with other nations bilaterally and through international forums, has also played an equally important role in this achievement.

As Leung readies to make his mark by bolstering Hong Kong’s autonomy and social liberties, Taiwan stands ready to take ties with the SAR to the next level. But before this can happen, a little more give from Hong Kong is needed. Delivering the online visa service would be a good start, and a surefire way of ensuring the bilateral relationship keeps moving in the right direction.

John Wren is a freelance writer based in Keelung. These views are the author’s and not necessarily those of Taiwan Today. Copyright © 2012 by John Wren

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