An Outsider Looking In
by Chris Gelken
Milestones and Millstones
A day of milestones!
Stealing a line from Mike "I wish I'd learned Thai and not Chinese" Chinoy; there are not too many places that can play host to the president of the world's most populous nation in the morning, and president of the world's most powerful nation in the afternoon. Well, evening.
Watching the event live as I write (my television is about 18 inches from my computer -- Hong Kong apartments are outrageously expensive and conversely, equally very small) I see POTUS being welcomed by Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa and I swear, it's the first time I have seen Tung smile in two days!
Tung has been on the goggle-box (Brit English: television) several times in the past couple of days, playing host to President Jiang Zemin who was in town to celebrate the first anniversary of the handover. Watching Tung's keynote speech before one of yesterday's main events -- a variety show -- one could be forgiven for thinking he was delivering an obituary. Things didn't really improve when Tung stood on the sidelines while Jiang took centre stage at the official opening of Chek Lap Kok -- Hong Kong's 20 billion dollar showpiece new airport. I guess no one is really comfortable when their boss is around -- but Tung didn't even try to look happy.
Hong Kong also swore in its first elected legislature today. Almost a sideshow to the other events. Members of the Democratic Party tried to generate a bit of excitement by staging a replay of their famous "we will return" demonstration on the balcony of the Legislative Assembly Building a year ago, but most of the media and the rubber-necking population with time to spare were taking a break between the departure of Jiang and the arrival of Clinton. It should have been a poignant moment, broadcast around the World. Should've been.
Democratic Party leader Martin Lee is even being cheated out of his moment of glory -- a face to face meeting with Bill Clinton. The meeting will go ahead, but there won't be any media -- no photo-ops, no joint press conference. The White House says this isn't because they are afraid of offending Beijing, but they do not usually encourage media attention when POTUS meets with 'opposition' leaders. As CNN cleverly pointed out, this is a self imposed rule that wasn't observed when Clinton met with Benjamin Netanyahu and Tony Blair -- before they were elected leaders of their respective countries. CNN did not point out that the rule was also ignored when Clinton met with the leader of Sinn Fein -- the political wing of the IRA -- well before before Mitchell Agreement.
Up to this point I have nothing but praise for the way POTUS has conducted his controversial trip to China. It is a pity he should stumble a bit at the last hurdle. Martin Lee doesn't have a criminal record and his party does not represent a terrorist organisation. Lee is a legally elected member of Hong Kong's legislature. I think Clinton has just handed his critics a stick to beat him with. His reluctance to repeat his Shanghai phone-in initiative could prove to be a millstone that will sink some of the plaudits his visit
so deserves.
Lee says he is disappointed and asks; "What is there to hide?" What indeed.
There is still time for POTUS to change his mind, but I ain't holding my breath.
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