Hong Kong must reform, says pro-China politician Jasper Tsang

A leading pro-China politician in Hong Kong said leaders of the global financial hub face a grim prospect unless politicians and Beijing end their impasse over political reform.

Politicians in the Chinese-controlled city recently vetoed a proposal to hold public elections for Hong Kong’s top political leader, the chief executive, after China insisted that only pre-screened, pro-Beijing candidates be allowed.

“If you don’t change the system, you can only expect similar people to take the post in the coming years, and they will be faced with the same problems,” Jasper Tsang, president of Hong Kong’s legislative council and founder of its largest pro-Beijing party, said in an interview with Reuters.

The comments come after former chief executive Donald Tsang was charged with misconduct on October 5th.

“It will be even more difficult for the chief executive in 2017 to establish a minimum degree of legitimacy,” Jasper Tsang said, calling the prospects for that person “gloomy” and “grim”.

– (Reuters)